A New War
by Missy71
Summary: Mia had been perfectly happy working at her favourite Italian restaurant, going to university, and spending her life surrounded by people she loved. But when a man in a mask becomes the focal point of all that she's known, she finds herself in situations she hadn't thought possible, with him by her side. As it turned out, nothing would ever be the same. AU
1. Chapter 1

**Notes: Bonjour, Hola, Buenos Dias, HELLO guys! I'm honestly so excited to be doing this and slightly nervous because _wow,_ this is insane. Over the last few years, I've fallen in love with the Marvel universe and all the wonderful characters that come with it. 'Captain America' was the film that started it all for me, and Bucky Barnes quickly became my favourite character. This fic is something that I've been working on for a while and it's a little different from the norm, but I'm hoping that it might strike a chord with a few of you wonderful people. At the end of the day, we've all been brought together because of our mutual love for these characters, and I _really_ hope that I can do them justice. So I hope you like what you read, and _pleaseeee_ tell me what you think because I'm a total rookie at this and need all the guidance I can get :') All the love in the world to you, **

**Missy x**

 _ **Edited Chapter**_

Chapter 1

There are a few types of loud noises. There's the sort of racket that's so blaringly obvious that it somehow blends into the background of a setting, and having lived in Washington DC for 7 months, Mia was used to that particular one. Then there's the sort of sound that catches you completely off-guard. You'll be enjoying a perfectly quiet Friday evening in front of the television, and all of a sudden, your cat'll decide that it's the perfect time to defile your apartment by knocking over a ceramic bowl from the countertop. Or, you'll be dusting your vanity table and accidentally knock over a bottle of perfume onto the glass surface, temporarily deafening all sets of ears surrounding it.

Then there's the type of loud noise Mia just heard; the sound of aged wood snapping beneath her ear as she lay in bed with her eyes glued to her phone. She realised all too late that this _particular_ disturbance was in fact an occurrence that she had been praying would delay itself for at least another two paycheques; her bed frame had finally broken.

An impressive thirty minutes later, Mia was still standing in front of her bed, balancing a double choc chip cookie in one hand and an unhealthily overused plastic water bottle in the other, all while staring solemnly at the wrecked 13-year-old bed frame which lay waste in front of her.

 _I hope you're proud of yourself. No really, I'm sure that the 4 kilos worth of Ferrero Rochers you ate last week has nothing to do with your bed frame finally giving up on life. Well done, Mia._

When she finally realised that simply staring at the bed like a first-class idiot would do nothing to _actually_ fix the problem, Mia flitted her eyes to the clock which lay next to the wreckage.

 _8:37 am_ ; _fan-fucking-tastic._

Only three weeks into her new job and Mia had already managed to be late to work four times; surely a personal best for the residents of Bethesda. Mentally berating herself for the lack of brain cells her body had designated to time management, Mia rushed into the spare room to turn on the iron, shoved her laptop into her bag and tossed her apartment keys into her pocket, lest she forget that they are a vital part in actually _getting in_ to her apartment.

In the midst of ironing her work shirt, Mia's mind couldn't help but relax at the thought of not having to worry about setting aside an outfit to wear for her day at college. Being a transfer student from Australia, uniforms were something Mia understood, in fact, they had become a thing she _valued._ Having spent her entire schooling life in the same navy blue blouse and knee length plaid skirt, the concept of having to wear a different set of clothes _every day,_ simply to go to an institute where people would criticise you regardless, was just outrageous.

Routine, consistency, normality; they were all words that sat well with Mia, and after the sort of life she'd had _before_ Australia, well…frankly, she was harrowingly fearful of things reverting back to the chaos she had once been accustomed to.

With her shirt on and crisply ironed, Mia took one last look at herself in the full-length mirror before leaving the room. Black T-shirt with Vito's Coffeehouse's emblem christened on the left breast pocket, matched with some black fitted jeans tucked into a pair of her well-loved Chuck Taylors; she was ready to take on the day.

When she went to put a strand of long, black hair behind her ear, Mia fell still for a moment before noticing something she hadn't considered in a long, long time.

 _You look exactly like mama today,_ she thought to herself. Everyone had told her that she bore a striking resemblance to her father for as long as she could remember. But in that moment, with her whiskey eyes reflecting the morning sun as it poured into her room and her skin radiating that gorgeous Syrian tan she had grown to accept, Mia felt like she could almost see her mother looking back at her in the smudged glass. _Almost._

* * *

It was official; the _entire_ population of Washington D.C. was conspiring against Mia to ensure she arrived to work even later than she had anticipated by causing three separate accidents on the freeway. Trying to recall every sin she'd ever committed to understand just _why_ this was happening to her, Mia set her forehead on the steering wheel of her '67 Camaro.

Her car, like many of the other things in her life, was a decision Mia had made on the whim of her ever-helpful impulse to live out Shia LaBeouf's life in _Transformers_. Now, while her car _was_ the same model and _did_ have two black stripes down its blue bonnet, she obviously didn't have the same well-fortuned fate that awaited Sam Witwicky when he bought his Camaro. In fact, considering that her car was about as reliable as a donkey pulling a fruit-cart in the middle of a blizzard, it turned out that Mia had wasted a good $9,000 in fulfilling her childhood dream when she could well have been driving a dependable and fuel-efficient Mazda.

Finally at work and officially 19 minutes late, Mia burst through the door and punched in her employee card at a blinding speed, before storing her bag and jacket away into her locker. In the midst of her haste, she managed to miss a short, plump Italian woman entering the room she had so gracefully barricaded into only moments earlier.

"You know, we hired you because you have a pretty name and a beautiful smile, Miriya. But darling, if you plan on sticking around, then it helps to be on time every once in a while."

 _Ah_ , Nora. Not only was she an absolute sweetheart, but she was the type of person who wouldn't scold you if you did something wrong, she'd just be disappointed. And in all honesty, disappointment was the _worst_ way to repay Nora for all that she'd done.

"Nora, I know I said this the last two times but I am so, so, _so_ sorry and I swear it won't happen again. I was just about to get up for work when my bed frame broke and I knew this day was coming but I delayed getting a new frame anyway and now there is a literal pile of wood in the middle of my room and I completely lost track of time—"

"Mia, Mia, darling take a breath. Always so talk-y." Nora's Sicilian accent was almost as warm as her brown eyes and her olive skin. She was the kind of woman that every girl wanted to have as a grandmother, the type to fuss over you and to make sure you were properly fed and looked after. To anyone from the outside world, Mia could have been Nora's granddaughter who worked at the family's successful restaurant in the middle of Anastasia Avenue. But to Mia, Nora was a woman she had known for 5 months prior to being offered a job at Vito's as a regular customer. She would come in for their state-famous Tiramisu every Friday after college and would waste away what seemed like hours talking to the elderly Italian woman and her husband, Piero.

After being thrown into a new environment from the comfort she'd loved in Australia, Mia had found somewhat of a sanctuary in the home-grown coffeehouse and eventually asked if they had any job openings that she could apply for. Being that they were a popular business in the area, Piero wasn't about to decline the offer for extra help and decided to delegate all tasks which required 0.9% of skill to Mia, such as taking orders, warming up bread rolls and clearing tables. Now having spent three weeks behind the counter and growing fairly used to the roles she was responsible for, Mia knew she just _had_ to make more of an effort to get to work on time. She couldn't take advantage of Nora and Piero's kind nature any more than she already had.

"I know you're not angry, but sometimes I wish you'd just…I don't know…swear at me in Italian or throw a bread roll at me. Just _something_ so that at least you weren't letting the disappointment build up inside of you."

Nora's lips turned downwards in an uncharacteristic frown. " _Ay Mia,_ you young kids are all the same. First, you hammer your brains with all these fancy degrees and useless studies, and then, you come here to work hard for money so you can pay for that same education. _Mio caro,_ what is the point of being a beautiful young woman in this country if you don't even have enough time to have dinner with a nice boy, eh? The things I want for Adela and Luca, I want for you as well Mia. Why can't you see that?"

"Ugh, _Nora_ , please not that conversation again. If a boy who has half the mental capacity of an apricot shows up at my doorstep one of these days, I'll take him to have the best damn dinner of his life and you'll be the first to know about it, I promise."

Animatedly waving her hands near her head and mumbling something about 'strange Australians' and 'old with 20 cats' in Italian, Nora left Mia standing in the locker room with her apron in one hand and her phone in the other.

 _9:28 am_. Waitressing time.

* * *

After an expectedly hectic midday shift at Vito's, Mia bid goodbye to Nora and her granddaughter Adela – or Ella, as everyone called her – and ventured off to one place that she knew she was going to have trouble enjoying; Georgetown University.

Having transferred from Australia to complete her final year of psychology in the States, Mia was initially determined that she'd ace her subjects throughout both semesters by keeping her focus wholly on studies and nothing else. However, the problem with Mia was that her mind had inadvertently convinced her that there was, in fact, no better time to catch up on 11 different series that she had neglected watching in Australia due to a lack of Netflix.

 _You are one clever cookie, Miriya_.

And so, with the unfortunate realisation that she had _once again_ failed to do her weekly readings and questions, Mia walked into her Trauma 104 class without her usual relaxed persona, as the gripping fear that Professor Walker would call her out on her negligence in front the entire class grew greater and greater.

As she sat down in her usual spot towards the back of the class, she looked around in hopes of finding her partner in crime lurking about somewhere. After unsuccessfully spotting her friend among all the faces, Mia whipped out her phone and proceeded to write out her customary heart-warming message to said deserter.

 _Mia: Mel, I swear to God if you don't show up to class, I'LL EGG YOUR ENTIRE HOUSE BEFORE TOMORROW'S SUNRISE. Don't doubt me._

Upon waiting for a reply to her rather articulate threat, Mia unzipped her laptop from its case and tried to skim through the notes on the day's lesson.

" _Trauma…experienced by a range of people…particularly soldiers and war combatants…survivors of war_ …", read the text.

Mia stopped her haphazard reading before she could go any further after she noticed the picture attached beneath the article. Breath hitched and eyes slightly shiny, she tried to tear her vision away from the photo she beheld, but she knew full well that she'd do no such thing.

A picture of a bloodied man holding a girl who couldn't have been older than 10 in his arms was what had Mia entranced. She lowered her eyes to the caption beneath it which read, "Syrian man holding his injured daughter after bomb dropped in Aleppo". Quickly wiping at her eyes to avoid any unwanted questions from the busy bodies that surrounded her, Mia shut her laptop harder than she needed to and willed her memories to stay in the part of her mind she rarely unlocked. Today was not the day she needed to relive them. Just, not today.

Thankfully, her phone's ring distracted her from her own thoughts, and the message from her best friend was enough to lift her mood.

 _Mel: Relax loser, I'll be 15 minutes late, had to pick up some spare parts at the mechanics. Save me a spot and DON'T YOU DARE start clapping when I walk into class again. I will genuinely assassinate you._

Now laughing to herself like an A-grade sociopath, Mia knew exactly what she had to do to bring about the level of embarrassment that only a best friend could induce upon a person.

 _Mia: Why don't you want me to clap? Last time you came in late and I clapped, Richie was the first to laugh and join in. He couldn't take his eyes off of you and I bet he'd do it againnnnnnnn hehehehhehehe._

 _Mel: I will kill you. There's no two ways about it. Your soul will return to Heaven._

 _Mia: MAYBE I should save a seat for you next to where he's sitting, OH MY GOD I'm doing that now okay BYE MELLLLLLL!_

 _Mel: MIA DON'T!_

 _Mel: MIA ANSWER THE PHONE_

 _Mel: MIA!_

 _Mel: I hate you._

* * *

After a class filled with embarrassing late-entrances and semi-deadly glares from Mel, Mia headed off with her friend towards their parked cars. It was nearing sunset, and DC never disappointed in showcasing her magnificence at dusk. The sky bled with shades of pink and orange to contrast the bright blue that'd accompanied the clouds only hours earlier. The two girls walked in a comfortable silence to the carpark and were about to make dinner plans when Mia's phone started ringing from her bag. Figuring it was either her aunt or her brother, she took her time in answering the call and didn't register the fact that it was coming from her workplace until she heard a frantic Ella on the other side of the line.

"Mia! Mia please—Mia please get back to the store, _nonna's_ had a heart attack—I don't know what she was doing but we heard a crash in the storage closet and she was on the floor—But can you please come back, me and _nonno_ are going with her in the ambulance—Just please, Mia we—"

"Ella, Ella, calm down. I'll be there in 15 minutes, just lock up and I'll use my keys to get in. Call me when you get there." Mia hung up the phone before Ella could spend any more time talking to her when she should've been on her way to the hospital.

"Mel, I'm so sorry, but I have to go back to Vito's. Nora's had an accident. I'll catch up with you tomorrow, yeah?"

"Don't worry about it, but is anyone else gonna be at the store? I can come with you if you want."

"Well, Ella and Piero are going to the hospital, and I doubt that Tracey's gonna be working tonight. But it's okay, I'll be fine. They close in a few hours and it should be pretty quiet on a Monday night."

"Alright, but…just be safe, Mia."

That was Mel; a year younger than Mia but the perpetual big sister in their relationship. Mia had come to the States without knowing a single person, and had quite frankly disregarded the idea that she would grow close to many people during her stay. But halfway into her second week at Georgetown, her ever-trusty Camaro broke down in the college parking lot, and needless to say, Mia was completely lost as to what to do in a situation like that.

Thankfully for her, the Angels must've been forwarding her prayers to the Big Guy that day because she ran into Mel; 6'0 tall, dark brown hair and baby brown eyes with a cheeky grin permanently glued to her face. She was a 3rd year paramedic student and quite the handy mechanic thanks to a childhood spent mostly at her dad's repair shop. After she helped Mia get back on the road again, it was only a matter of time before the pair found themselves to be inseparable. And, as for Mia? Well, Mel was the closest thing to a sister she'd ever had.

Mia smiled softly before giving letting a small grin curl on her lips. "Always am, Mel."

* * *

Having quickly parked the car in her usual space behind the restaurant, Mia grabbed her keys and unlocked the front doors so she could once again allow customers to get their fix of Italian delicacies. The shop itself was of a humble size, but it boasted all the features one would hope to find at any Sicilian outlet. The entrance to the coffeehouse was lined with rich green vines that laced their way across the brick wall, serving as a backdrop for the sign which read 'Vito's Coffeehouse' in cursive. There were several wooden tables set outside to match the theme, all with vibrant red tablecloths and bright lanterns atop them that gave one the illusion of walking cobble-stoned streets in the Amalfi Coast. The imported Italian parasols had quaint fairy lights that hung off their edges and outdoor heaters which helped shield customers from the February chill.

As Mia straightened out all the chairs and collected leftover dishes from tables, she glanced at the grandfather clock situated near the counter. _6:32 pm_. Still another 3 and a half hours before she could close up shop, but she knew that being there was her own little way of having Nora's back when she needed it. Mia began washing the dishes and suddenly became lost in thought as to the day's happenings, so much so that she didn't notice that someone had entered the store until the door bell shook with the opening of one flap.

Splashing herself with dirty dish water, Mia hurriedly tried to clean off the soap before addressing the customer. "Ugh, shit—Won't be a minute!"

"It's okay, take your time," came the reply from a deep voice just beyond the counter.

She could only see the outline of a fairly tall man from her vantage point at the kitchen basin, but she finally cleaned up enough to head out to the counter without repelling any potential customers with her _highly_ attractive dishwashing scrubs.

"Sorry about that, what can I get–"

Mia knew she should've finished the sentence like a competent human being. She also knew that there was no reason to freak out and that she should behave like the mature, well-rounded 22-year-old that she was. However, it took a whole 10 seconds of awkward staring for Mia to realise that she wouldn't do any of those things; in fact, she knew from the moment she recognised him that she was about to spray projectile verbal vomit towards the person who had been America's national symbol for almost a century.

"I—You're Capt—I…"

 _Breathe._

"What are you?" She shook her head, "No, not _what_ are you, I mean, why are you here?—Wow, you're really here, okay…How are you?"

 _You fucking imbecile._

Before Mia could further disgrace her family and friends by showcasing her eloquent English, the blonde haired and blue eyed _specimen_ which stood in front of her nonchalantly waved his hand as though he'd induced this sort of reaction 3,000 times before, chuckling up at her from under the brim of his hat.

"I'm doin' good, thanks. And yourself?"

 _Oh sweet baby Jesus, I'm talking to Captain_ freaking _America. Keep it cool, rookie._

Having resisted the urge to promptly fling herself off of the George Washington Bridge, Mia managed to string together a sentence before an awkward silence ensued.

"I'm fine, thanks. I'm sorry for, uh, freaking out. I've had the strangest day and I just…well, I wasn't expecting to meet Captain America working the night shift, so…"

Smiling softly, Captain Rogers looked down and seemed hardly surprised as he replied, "Yeah, well, you can't keep me away from Vito's Tiramisu for too long. I was expecting Nora or Piero, are they out back?"

Suddenly pulled from her reverie, Mia's face fell as she was reminded of her boss' current condition. "No, uh, actually Nora had a heart attack. I'm not even too sure what happened, but I got a call from Ella saying they found her on the floor out back. That's why I'm working tonight."

The reaction on Captain Rogers' face was immediate, as his eyebrows drew together in confusion and his mouth hung slightly open in shock. "God, where'd they take her?"

"Well, I'm guessing MedStar because it's just off of Irving, but I can't be too sure 'til I get a call from Ella."

 _Cue painfully long silence._

"But, I gotta be honest, Nora's one of the toughest women around. If the Angel of Death even tried to get close to her, she'd probably bat it away with her rolling pin and tell it to stop wasting her time 'cause she had customers to feed." Mia's features upturned at the thought of that, and she even got a chuckle out of the Captain at her description of her little Italian employer.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I've been coming here for a few months now and those two are a big part of the reason why I keep comin' back. And, y'know, the food is pretty good incentive too," he said with a small grin.

She couldn't believe it. Here she was, working a shift she wasn't supposed to be working, in a country thousands of miles from home, sharing a laugh with a man who technically should've been about 6 feet under for the past 70 odd years. Go figure.

The sound of the wind slamming the door flap shut reminded Mia that she was, in fact, supposed to be _serving_ her customer, as opposed to pondering the mysteries of his existence. She'd have plenty of time to do that when she got home.

"Oh God, you've been waiting to order. Okay, uh, what can I get for you, _Captain_?"

He waved a hand. "Please, call me Steve. And I'll grab what's left of the Tiramisu tray with a few bags of the bread sticks."

Looking over at the bread basket to check their current supplies, Mia asked, "Is 3 bags okay?"

"Yeah, that's perfect."

Mia flitted about the counter, getting the Tiramisu into a take-away box and lightly powdering the breadsticks before she rolled them into the brown paper wrapping. Figuring that she might as well take advantage of the fact that this was probably the last time she would be speaking to a living relic, Mia turned to Steve as she was absent-mindedly packing the breadsticks.

"So, _Steve_ , would you mind if I asked you something? I know it might be a bit hard hitting for a Monday night, and feel free to completely ignore the question, but I've sorta always wanted to know."

Steve shook his head with a warm smile and replied, "Not at all. Although, it might be a bit more comforting if I knew the name of the person about to interrogate me."

Mia laughed softly. "Ah, well, that sounds like a fair trade. It's Miriya, but everyone calls me Mia because Americans will find a way to butcher any name that has more than 2 syllables."

It quickly dawned upon Mia that she was in fact speaking to the _King of all Americans_ if there ever was one, and she had just singlehandedly managed to insult every person within a 2000 mile radius.

 _You're a champion, Mia_.

"No, wait that's no offense to Americ—What I mean is that it's an unusual—That sounded so wrong, I swear I didn't—"

"Hey, hey, relax." He let out a laugh. "It's fine. And, believe it or not, I kinda feel the same way." Steve's upturned smile managed to make her feel a little less inclined to drive a poison-tipped spear through her abdomen to avoid the situation.

Only a little.

"But I am detecting an accent, and I'm pretty sure it's not British, so…what is it?" he asked curiously. "South African?"

"Oh no, not South African, but I see why you'd think that. It's Australian, actually." A look of realisation graced Steve's features. "If you're gonna try and attempt a 'g'day mate', then please just know that no man has ever succeeded in doing so with even a half-convincing Australian accent, so you've got a tough job ahead of you."

She heard a real laugh from the Captain for the first time that night, followed by, "Well, I think I haven't heard it nearly enough to be attempting it so, maybe some other time." The rustling of paper bags was the only sound that filled the air for a few moments before Steve piped up, "But what was it that you wanted to ask?"

"Oh, right! Yeah, well…okay." _Deep breath._ "Y'know, I've seen videos of you back when you served with the Howling Commandoes. I know you were in the middle of a war and times were tough, but somehow, folks back then always seemed so…happy. I guess…I guess I just wondered if this life—this new world is something you've grown to love just the same."

The look on Steve's face wasn't one that Mia had been expecting. She'd known upon asking the question that he might look wistful or maybe even nostalgic, but she was hit with something _very_ different;

Pure, untainted regret.

With downcast eyes, Steve tried to start the sentence a few times before falling silent, and Mia was about to apologise profusely for bringing up such a topic when all the poor guy wanted was to grab his Italian desserts and leave.

Just as she opened her mouth, so did he, replying in a tone just above a whisper, "It's not so much the place, y'know. It's…There's just so much you leave behind. It took me a while but I've gotten used to the technology and people's ways of life now. But I guess there's just something different about being surrounded by people you grew up with". His gaze reverted back to Mia as he spoke through a smile etched with melancholy. "It's just not the same."

Knowing too well of the pain that came with yearning one's company and failing to find it, Mia felt as though the answer she received should have been expected, but upon hearing it, the magnitude of his situation really hit home. Here was a man out of time, forced to call this foreign land "home", with all the troubles that came with today's times and none of the support he had from his old life, his _real_ life. It was hardly an easy feat.

"That, uh…Yeah, that makes a lot of sense." Now finding the string of her apron to be more worthy of her direct gaze than the Captain, Mia stayed quiet for a few moments before hoping to bring back the air of comfort they'd had before her mind willed her mouth to speak.

"And I'm insanely sorry for depressing the daylights out of you, it was seriously the wrong time to ask." She cracked a smile, "But you can rejoice, because here's your Tiramisu and breadsticks all ready to go, and I packed some extra cream in there for y'all." Mia handed over the brown paper bag to the Captain and was about to wish him a goodnight before he interjected.

"Nah, it's not a problem. But, uh, Mia? I think you might be forgetting something?"

 _Did you forget to pack the napkins again? C'mon Mia, that's the second time today._

"Oh God, I forgot the napkins, dang it! Just gimme a second, I'll go grab some."

Before Mia could start tearing about the kitchen in search for them, Steve quietly took out his wallet from his back pocket, reminding Mia that it is a sacred, ancient transaction to exchange food for money, and that she should probably adhere to the laws of said tradition.

" _Ah_ , right. I was just…waiting to see if you'd…remember to pay?" _Smooth, Mia_. "Okay, I feel like my attention span is deteriorating by the hour, so I'm gonna blame it on that. But all that aside, that comes to a grand total of $33.70, Captain Rogers."

Fishing out a $50 note, Steve handed it over to the storekeeper who had shown many signs of the onset of dementia (or just plain stupidity), and Mia couldn't help but laugh when she looked upon the bill.

"I'll be honest, Steve. I really would've thought they'd put your face on one of these babies by now. I mean, don't get me wrong, Ulysses was a good lookin' fella, but I'm sure at least 80% of the nation's population would much rather see 'Captain Steve Rogers: The Symbol of America' plastered on their $50 bill."

"I think I already see my face in some pretty strange places as it is, I don't know how I'd feel about seeing it stamped on a bank note." He smiled, "Better to save that for dead presidents and old buildings, I guess."

Mia handed the change and the receipt back to Steve, before she added, "Wow, this has been unreal. Honestly, I have a feeling this is what an out-of-body experience feels like. But it really was a treat meeting you, Cap."

Steve snickered softly and waved off Mia's clear awe at the situation. "The pleasure's mine, and I might see you around here some time. Oh, and would ya' tell Nora that I stopped by and that she better be back on her feet by the next time I'm 'round to see her."

 _How could Nora_ not _have told me that Steve-freaking-Rogers was a regular at the store. This is why people have trust issues, honestly._

"Oh, I'll make sure of it. Have a good night, Steve."

"Good night, Mia."

With that, Mia found herself waving off a national treasure at the mid-way point of her unexpected shift. Feeling strangely exhausted after her chance encounter with the Captain, Mia made the mistake of fantasising about going to sleep the second she step foot into her bedroom for the remainder of her shift. It was only then that she was reminded of the catastrophic state she had left her room in after _her goddamn bed broke,_ which promptly lead her to belting out a string of cusses that came a little too naturally to Australian folk.

* * *

"And then he got this look on his face that made me want to pour hot coffee on myself for asking such a stupid question. Honestly, it wouldn't have killed me to have just kept my mouth shut or to ask him about…I don't know…rising interest rates or something," said Mia as she looked around for the other black sock that always managed to run away from its soul-pair.

"If you talked to Captain America about rising interest rates, I would've _personally_ gathered every last one of my Irish cousins and pelted your house with potatoes. How dare you even suggest that?"

"To be honest Mel, I think I'd be more scared of the cousins on your Turkish side. Irishmen are just too cute, they've got that whole accent and red hair goin' on. _Lord_ have mercy."

After 10 minutes of wreaking havoc in her apartment, Mia finally found the M.I.A. sock and quickly slipped it on before Mel hesitantly changed the topic into one Mia hoped she could've avoided.

"So, have you given any more thought to going to that workshop with the guy coming in from the V.A.? I know militant trauma isn't the area you're interested in, but I bet he could give you some good advice about how to go about your program. He's probably got a lot of experience, y'know."

Taking the phone away from her ear for a moment to compose her thoughts, Mia stared absently at the ground for what seemed like forever.

 _It's been 12 years, Mia. They're not all the same._

It took Mel half-screaming her name from the other side of the phone for Mia to bring it back to her ear.

"It's…It's not that I don't want to. You know that better than anyone. I just…" she cleared her throat. "I look at one soldier and, somehow…to me, they're all the same. I know they shouldn't be, but…I can't control how I feel when I'm around them."

The reluctance in Mel's voice had dissipated as she spoke her next words. "Mia, but you _can_. These people aren't Syrian Armed Forces and this isn't Aleppo. You've been fighting with this for more than a decade, love. Now, I don't expect you to be all chummy with 'em, but _please_ Mia, believe me when I say that most of them mean well."

Tears threatened to escape Mia's eyes, forcing her to shut them even tighter, as if she could somehow will them away. But there was no stopping the inevitable. Sitting on the edge of her still-broken bed and now tasting salt on her tongue, Mia licked her lips before replying in a whisper, "I see them, Mel. I look at a soldier's uniform, any soldier's, and all I see are my parents' faces. Every damn time." Exhaling a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, Mia continued, "I wanna let go of that, I do—I just wouldn't know where to start."

"Start here. Start by doing this. Go to the workshop and learn how to help people that have been in warzones just the same as you. It might've been different countries and different circumstances, but the horrors they've seen…I'm willing to bet they're not so different from yours."

 _I really, really hate it when she makes sense._ "Have I ever told you that I really, really hate it when you make sense?"

The responding laugh she heard from Mel reset the tone of the conversation almost instantly. Feeling a little lighter, Mia put the phone back into the nook of her neck and shoulder before getting up to grab her gym bag from the spare room. Re-checking that she packed her sparring tape and cotton ankle brace, Mia wrangled her hip-length hair into a high pony atop her head before grabbing the keys off the counter and shutting off the lights.

"Oh! By the way, did you hear anything else about Nora? Is she gonna be okay?"

Feeling quite terrible that she'd excitedly called to tell Mel about her meeting with Captain America and not informed her of her boss' health, Mia quickly reassured her as she made her way to the elevator. "Oh God, yeah. I got a call from Ella around 11 last night. She said the doctors were releasing her today and that she should take it easy for a few weeks. But aside from that, they said not to worry because it was only a mild heart attack."

Mel exhaled loudly before saying, "Thank the Lord, 'cause I tell ya' what, no woman that gives away as much free food to me as she does deserves hardship like that."

"Yeah, well, you're not wrong there. Alright hun, I'm heading to the _dojo_ now, but I'll message you after I'm done, yeah?"

"Yeah, yeah, go ahead. And don't let that Freddie guy get all handsie on you again. If he tries anything, just go Black Widow on his ass," she said seriously.

Mia laughed and shook her head. "Will do, ma'am. Alright, I'll talk to you soon, hun."

"Later, Alfiyan."

* * *

"Now don't hold back on me, kid. This is the last set, you ready?"

" _Uus, sensai._ "

"Good girl. Alright, I want a double tap from the left, a clean elbow to the chin and I want you to finish with a solid _kao loy_ (flying knee) to the solar plexus. You've got one try, Mia. I want it perfect."

" _Uus, sensai._ "

If there was one place where Mia felt most calm, it was in the chaos of a kickboxing gym. Since she was 4, martial arts had engrained itself into her spirit and made up for most of the courage that Mia had today. While it took her a few years to adjust to her life in Australia with her aunt and uncle, martial arts remained the one comfort Mia indulged in amidst the unknowns she faced.

And so, here she was, her face red and her hair swept back as she was about to attempt the final combination for the day. Tightening her hand wrapping and looking at her _sensai_ for one final confirmation, Mia centred her thoughts before setting her sights on the target. Her sparring partner, Jordie, re-tightened his head-gear in preparation for the blows he was about to absorb, and with a slight nod of the head, Mia pounced.

Adjusting her feet to accommodate the orthodox stance she was accustomed to fighting with, Mia brought her hands up and timed her breathing according to the attacks.

 _Breathe, one_. Mia struck a double tap to his cheekbone.

 _Breathe, one, two._ Redistributing her weight to rely mostly on her leading foot, Mia brought her right elbow above her ear and clocked down cleanly on the base of his chin-guard.

 _Breathe, one, two, three_. To finish the combination, Mia placed pressure on him to retreat by taking two steps forward and bracing her right knee for impact, before launching her back foot upwards, propelling her strike his solar plexus. As Jordie stumbled back a few steps, Mia's bare feet remained firm on the mats in fighting stance, awaiting to be dismissed by her _sensai_.

Feather soft footsteps approached Mia as her breathing calmed, and she was finally met with the sight of a smiling _sensai_ Eddie. "Someone etch this date in stone because it might be the first time Mia didn't forget to readjust her weight after elbowing Jordie in the chin," exclaimed Eddie to no one in particular as he stood in front of his student.

Now bouncing giddily on the balls of her feet, Mia looked up and remarked, "Well, as enjoyable as it is to disappoint your _sensai_ on a weekly basis, it kinda gets boring after a little while." She looked to her fallen sparring partner. "You hurt there, Jord?"

The 6'2, 220 pounds worth of Premium African American Beef known as Jordan Coster was just about one of the kindest people Mia had ever known. He'd been training at Sal's gym for 6 years and was well on his way to becoming one of the best Muay Thai kickboxers in the country.

"Nah, girl. Your kangaroo-ridin', koala-huggin' ass can't get the best of me. I just wanted to boost your self confidence, that's all," said Jordie with a cheeky smile plastered on his face. "I'm a gentleman like that."

Mia laughed and was about to reply when she felt her phone buzz in her hand. "Oh, man. It's my brother, I gotta take this. But I'll catch ya' next Tuesday though!"

"Sounds good. Take care of yourself now, you hear?"

Laughing inwardly at how people kept telling her that, she replied with, "Always do, Jord."

Grabbing her bag and all but running out of the gym towards her car, Mia clicked the 'Answer' button on her phone quicker than ever.

"Welcome to Domino's Pizza, what would you like today?" said Mia with the same stupid smile on her face that she always got when she answered a call like that.

"God, Mia you always say that and you always make me regret calling before I've even had a conversation with you," said a tired sounding voice from the other end.

"C'mon Zeyn, stop being a little girl. What time is it over there? And why do you sound like you haven't slept since the turn of the century?"

"Because my little sister decided to move to a city where the time zone is 14 hours behind and I can't speak to her unless its 2 am over here. Seriously, just come back so I can get some decent sleep again, _zalami._ "

Mia smiled a little at her brother's suffering before adding, "Y'know, America could use some Muay Thai gyms as well. There's nothing stoppin' you from coming here, bud." Suddenly recalling the reason for her recent elation, Mia semi-shouted, "BUT FORGET ALL OF THAT, I have to tell you something!"

Sighing at his sister's criminal levels of excitement when it was literally 2 in the morning where he lived, Zeyn braced himself for the barrage of words he was about to be pelted with. "What is it, M?"

"I met Captain America! Zeyn, I swear I almost died and it was so strange because it happened so fast, well, not really because we talked for like 5 minutes, but he's even taller than he looks on TV and he asked abou—"

"You _WHAT?"_

Letting out a laugh as she opened her car door, Mia knew that her brother's reaction would far supersede her own. Zeyn was the sort of guy who had _zero_ shame in expressing his appreciation for beauty, both female and _especially_ male. He'd always been the sort of big brother who made sure Mia never resented the fact that she didn't have a sister too much. In between teaching her to play most sports and how to make a shank using a toothbrush and a blunt nail, Zeyn made sure to ask her about her crushes and whether the kids at school were giving her a rough time. Even after 12 years of living without parents, Zeyn tried to make sure their presence was never missed too much.

"You're telling me that you met _Captain America_ and you waited 24 hours to tell me about it? Have you no shame?"

Mia giggled at the sense of betrayal evident in her brother's voice. "I know, I'm sorry. But it was honestly so fun and it was even better because it was _the last thing_ I ever expected to happen. I didn't even know he lived in DC! I always figured he lived at the Avengers Tower."

"Mia, can you _please_ stop worrying about the guy's real estate history and tell me what he said?! Where did you even meet him?"

Sucking in a deep breath before she launched into a recap of the story, Mia drove back to her apartment while falling into the familiar rhythm of conversation she always had with her brother. It made her feel so happy and so terribly lonely all at once, but if she just closed her eyes and only pay mind to their voices, she could almost pretend that he was right there with her.

Almost.

* * *

It turns out that it takes a lot more than your run-of-the-mill heart attack to keep Nora Vitale from providing sustenance to the hungry population of DC. Nevertheless, Mia found herself taking on 4 more shifts throughout the week to lessen Nora's workload before she tired herself into another coronary episode. Completely disregarding the doctor's orders to rest for two weeks, Nora showed up at the restaurant only 3 days after her attack, and something told Mia that she would've come earlier had a family member not held her in a metaphorical chokehold to keep her away.

It was an exceptionally quiet Friday afternoon at Vito's, and after all the dishes had been washed and the tables had been wiped, Mia found herself eyeing the Tiramisu that the First Avenger had come in for only a week earlier. She looked at the thick layers of cream and the chocolate bark mixed with cocoa powder that blanketed the top layer. _Just have one slice, you've had a long week._ But she really needed to shed the weight she'd gained during this year's hibernation.

 _But it's just one piece_. _Besides, it's not like anyone's gonna be looking under your shirt anytime in the near future. Live your life, Mia._

With the bittersweet reminder that she was indeed single and had no sexy-time to be restraining herself for, Mia didn't need any more persuasion to get out a plate and prepare her body for the spiritual experience she was about to partake in. Just as she went to cut a slice from the tray, she heard her boss call from the storage room, "Miriya, Miriya! Your phone is ringing, Miriya!"

"Coming, coming, coming Nora," she said before she looked at the cake in question and whispered, "I'll come back for you, baby." Running to the back of the café, Mia was surprised to see the caller ID as Arya, a friend of hers from uni.

"Hello?"

"Mia! Where are you? The workshop's gonna start in 10 minutes and the guy that's running it's already started setting up. You didn't forget, did you?"

 _Shit, shit, shit._ "No, of course I didn't forget". _I'd totally forgotten_. "I was just…getting some papers that I left at work yesterday". _I was making sweet, sensual eye-love to an Italian dessert_. "I'll be there in 15 minutes!" _You disrupted a holy ritual, how can I ever trust you after this?_

Forsaking the cake for now, Mia rushed into where Nora was folding the linen napkins before catching her breath and asking, "Uh, Nora? I know it's completely last minute and that Luca won't be in for another hour, but I have a workshop to go to that I totally forgot about and it's actually really important. So, do you think it'd be okay if I got off a little early today?"

"Sì, Sì _,_ of course darling. Don't just stand there and look at me like a fool, quick, quick, _go!_ " said Nora with the classic Italian wave of her hands. Smiling and all but sprinting out of the room, Mia yelled out a loud 'thank you' before grabbing her bag from her locker and heading to her car.

About 20 minutes of DC's traffic later, Mia finally entered the east carpark of her uni, only to find it completely full and without a single empty space in sight. _Why don't any of you heathens use public transport?_ Decidedly more annoyed than she was before, Mia was forced to park the car behind W Block, near the obscure and _slightly_ Texas Chainsaw-looking gardener's shack. Not having much time to spend crying over her parking dilemma, Mia slung her leather one-strapped bag over her shoulder, locked her car and ran towards L Block.

As soon as she opened the door to the building, Mia made her way towards the Interactive Rooms that were built for the purpose of workshops like these. Upon finding L107, she took a deep breath and willed herself to not cower in shame at the fact that she was 20 minutes late to a seminar that she hadn't _really_ wanted to be involved with in the first place. Lightly knocking before opening the door, Mia was met with about 20 heads turning her way, including the one which belonged to the guy running the damn thing.

 _Well done, Mia._

"Come on in, Miss. I'm afraid to tell you that you just missed out on all the choc-frosted donuts I bought in for y'all, but you'll have to blame your peers for that. It was a sort of an 'every man for himself" situation, y'know?" joked the man standing in front of the lectern at the very front of the class. He wore the sort of smile that made you wanna divulge all your family's secrets to him, and for some reason, Mia's comfort levels increased almost instantly after seeing him.

"No, that's fine. I, uh… I actually deserve to go donut-less for being so late. Sorry about that."

Waving his hand dismissively, the man said, "Nah, don't sweat it. Take a seat, we just started. I'm Sam Wilson, by the way," said the man as he redirected his attention to the remainder of the class.

Spotting Arya waving to her from the middle row, Mia made her way over and sat down. Arya's widened blue eyes gave away just how excited she was about the whole situation, and after impatiently waiting for Mia to get settled, she quickly leaned closer and whispered, "Mia, he's so cute, I'm not sure whether to ask him out for drinks or have a seizure."

Looking back at the seizure-inducer in question, Mia giggled softly at her friend's antics before replying in a hushed tone, "Honey, he deals with trauma, not CPR. You're gonna have to come up with a better way to seduce him."

The two girls shared a laugh before properly settling into the seminar. And surprisingly, it wasn't long before Mia couldn't remember why she had been so hesitant to come to the workshop in the first place. That was, until Sam actually started speaking about their chosen topic.

"Now, I know that some of y'all are here because this workshop will get you extra credit, and that's alright. Believe me when I say that I did some crazy stuff for a few extra marks back in college." That got him a few laughs before the class quietened down again.

"But regardless of the reason you chose to come here today, I want you all to leave with one thing. By the end of the session, I'll have shown you some different cases, some stories that'll make you re-evaluate a lot of what you thought was going on in the world. You might hear a few of them and think, 'Wow, there is absolutely no way that this guy can come back from the place his mind is at right now'. You might be convinced that some of these soldiers can never conform back into society again, that there's no hope. But if there's one thing I hope you keep with you from what you hear today, it's that no one is too far gone to benefit from your help." His eyes shone earnestly as he said, " _No one_ is beyond saving."

* * *

If there was one thing Mia wasn't expecting, it was that she'd thoroughly enjoy the workshop she'd been dreading for so long. Sam had turned out to be everything she'd hoped for but never gotten in a workshop mentor. He was interactive and patient, and devilishly funny which made for a much lighter environment than she'd imagined.

It turned out that Sam was ex-military himself, and true to his word, he shared some bone-chilling stories about soldiers and medics who'd come home from tours, but had somehow left their peace in the warzone. And as hard as she tried, there were times during the slideshow that Mia felt stiflingly overwhelmed upon seeing photos of dozens of army tanks and armed militia.

 _They're not them. This isn't Aleppo. This isn't home_ ; those words churned in her mind as she willed herself to breathe a little easier. Sam went on to talk about army doctors who had been assigned to village medical centres and town hospitals to treat locals with standard medicine that hadn't yet been made available to them.

"And when they come back home and see resources and supplies being taken for granted and being wasted…it crushes them. The trauma isn't just the result of seeing death on a battlefield. It's from seeing life in a country so foreign from what you've known, and seeing people just like you and I suffering at the hands of those in power. Coming back, adjusting to a life after living through that…'traumatic' doesn't even cut it."

After the class had wrapped up and it was nearing 7:00, most of the students filtered out of the room as quickly as they could to grab some much needed food after a 4 hour session. Waving goodbye to Arya, Mia felt the inexplicable need to wait back and ask some of the questions she'd been itching to know the answers to for a long time. With so many of her own endeavours awaiting her in the future, she couldn't think of a more perfect opportunity to seek some guidance.

"Uh, Sam?"

Sam looked up from his laptop bag after disconnecting it from the projector. "Well if it isn't Ms. Donut-less. How'd you like the workshop? Didn't make you regret spending your Friday stuck in a room for 4 hours, did I?"

Laughing softly at the ease with which he spoke, Mia shook her head and slung her flannie over a shoulder before replying, "Nah, I would've wasted it eating ice cream and watching Full House the entire day anyways."

"Girl, you make it sound like that's a _bad_ thing. Ain't nobody gonna say no to a little bit of John Stamos in their life." Mia raised a brow and quirked her lips, to which Sam quickly reaffirmed, "Hey look, I'm straight, but I'm not blind. He's got a little somethin' somethin'."

Laughing immediately at how much that sounded like something her brother would say, Mia almost didn't realise that Sam was fully packed and ready to leave, and that it was _her_ who was keeping him from doing so.

"By the way, I didn't catch your name."

"Miriya, but everyone calls me Mia."

"Miriya. Hmm, that's nice. Is that Arabic?"

"Yeah, yeah it is."

Looking down once and composing her question in her mind, Mia asked, "Sam, I just…I was just wondering if you could give me a few tips on starting a program similar to the one you have at the V.A., but for refugees. Y'see, I've had this idea for a while and I have it all worked out with regards to the content and governmental guidelines and all, but…I just need a bit of guidance with the actual… _helping_ part of it."

Sam considered her words for a moment before looking at Mia and asking something she hadn't expected in the least.

"Was it Syria?"

Snapping her head up at the question, Mia needed no further clarification. "Yeah."

"How old were you?" he asked, leaning back on a table and clearly in no rush to leave.

Taking in a breath in preparation of what she knew was about to come, Mia steadied her voice before she spoke. "I was 8 when it started, my brother was 13. We lived just outside of Aleppo." She swallowed. "At the beginning, S.A.F. soldiers would just roll by in army trucks…I guess to make their presence known. We got used to seeing them and it was about a year before anything actually happened. But when the bombings started…well, they never really stopped."

Sam was gentle but determined in a skilled way that Mia figured only came with practice when he asked his next question. "Did you lose someone?"

 _And there it was_. Slowly nodding her head and wishing her eyes would stop shining, Mia answered, "My parents. My uncle had moved to Australia a few years before and after things started getting real bad, we knew we couldn't stay much longer. So, he applied as a sponsor to have us brought back to Sydney with him. All the paperwork was done and we were…so excited."

 _Breathe_.

"It was supposed to be safe. We were sleeping in the old City Hall when two soldiers found us. They saw our packed bags and started yelling at my dad, paranoid that he was fighting for the resistance. He…he tried to tell them that we meant no harm." She wet her lips. "They shot him 4 times before my mum stepped in front of the bullets." With an errant tear streaming slowly down her face, Mia continued, "They would've killed us too, but some of the other kids there came out running towards us." She smiled sadly and guessed, "They probably thought we'd be a waste of bullets."

Sam laid a supporting hand on her shoulder and said, "I'm so sorry."

She shook her head immediately. "Please, don't be. It's honestly why I don't like talking about it much. I was one of the lucky ones, y'know." She shrugged softly, "We got out of there at an age where we couldn't understand consequences. But, some of the people that are fleeing from there right now…they're gonna spend their entire life reliving that war. And…I just wanna help them through that."

Sam smiled what Mia felt was his trademark smile and said, "Well, if that's something that's gonna make you happy, then you've come to the right place, girl."

* * *

After exchanging details and getting advised by Sam for another 20 minutes, Mia said her goodbyes and left the building feeling a lot lighter. Sam told her about the practical side of conducting trauma programs and specific measures that needed to be taken. He also told her to contact him after she graduated in a few months to help out with recruitment and offices, which she was unnaturally giddy about. It had all seemed so unattainable a couple of hours ago, but after talking through it with someone who'd been doing it for so long, Mia felt as though something really, _really_ special might come out of this.

Mia was so caught up in recalling the last few hours that she forgot to be upset about the fact that her car was parked amongst the garbage bins and lawn mowers behind W Block. It was only after she reached the dimly lit stairs near her car that Mia realised just how shifty the place was.

 _This place seemed a whole lot less horror-movieish when it was 3 pm_.

Taking out the keys to her car and keeping the _Kiridashi_ Neck Knife that her _sensai_ gifted her at a handy distance, Mia started walking towards the car. Caught up in surveying her surroundings, Mia was about 20 metres away when she did a double take.

… _Did my car just shake?_

Blinking a few times to clear her vision, the second time she saw it wobble was unmistakable, and it took her all of 2 seconds to realise: _there's someone in my car_.

Instincts taking over, Mia slipped the knife into her hand and slowly walked towards the bins to get a better gauge of the situation. As she peered over the trash for a closer look, the poor lighting only allowed her to see the silhouette of a man with long hair hunched over in the driver's seat. Squinting her eyes, Mia tried to decipher exactly what he was doing until she heard the sad spark of her Camaro's engine; he was trying to hotwire it.

Wanting to laugh at how desperate this guy must have been to steal a car that barely worked when the keys were in the ignition, Mia figured that he wouldn't get much luck with what he was trying to do, and she wasn't wrong. Almost on cue, the driver's door was opened harshly by the figure and Mia did a triple-take. She would've blamed her poor vision on all the weed she'd been smoking but the inconvenient truth was that she'd never gotten high a day in her life.

… _Well, fuck._

The man emerged from the car and into the faint light of the lamppost. Being that she was still a few metres away, Mia could only make out a few details about him. He was clad in black from top to bottom, donning black cargo pants with what seemed like a leather straightjacket that had been ripped of its sleeves. His shoes made a heavy thud as he walked from the side of the car towards the boot, and just when Mia decided that she'd wait for as long as she had to for him to leave, an unwelcome feline visitor made its presence known.

As the stray cat jumped from the outdoor windowsill of a classroom onto the garbage bin Mia was hiding behind, it managed to knock over the aluminium rubbish lid that sat idly on top of it.

 _What the hell is a cat doing on campus, anyway?_

Ridding that thought as the magnitude of the situation quickly dawned on Mia, she was faced with a sight more menacing than any she'd seen before.

The curtain of dark hair that she'd caught a glimpse of before had managed to hide the mask that covered the bottom half of the thief's face. It was only after he turned to face Mia's direction that she saw the man's face under slightly harsher lighting. Frozen in her place, Mia debated whether to scream or run or play dead. Either way, it seemed that the man would make her decision for her.

He began, somewhat calmly, striding towards her with his hands free of any weapons, but something gave Mia the idea that he wouldn't exactly need them. In a last ditch attempt at self preservation, Mia tightened her grip on her blade and reasoned, "Listen man, that's my car but you can take it. I don't want any trouble. Here, I'll give you the keys."

When Mia's pleading fell on deaf ears, she tried to retreat by taking a few steps backwards, only to be met by a brick wall and the glaring light of a lamppost that was situated directly above her head. The man continued his languid pace as he approached her, and it was only when he got within a few steps that she noticed an unnatural gleam being reflected from his left arm.

"Holy fu—Look mister, I won't tell anyone about you or your…limbs—Just take the car and—"

Mia's words were cut short as a single hand was raised and clasped around her throat, thankfully from the right arm. Now pushed up against the brick wall, Mia tried grabbing at his wrist with the hand that wasn't holding the knife. Failing miserably before she'd even tried for long, Mia tried centering her breathing and reminded herself that this was exactly the type of situation she'd been training for her whole life. Dropping her hand and briefly closing her eyes, Mia allowed her muscle memory to dictate the situation as it had practised a thousand times before.

Using her left leg to propel herself forward, Mia promptly stepped up and kneed him in the stomach before swiping his hand away from her neck. Caught rather off-guard by her reaction, the man stumbled back briefly and had just centred his footing when he was met with an elbow to the temple.

Now unquestionably more pissed off than he was before, he curled his left hand into a fist and launched it towards Mia, which she escaped by _that much._ The man's fist had landed into the brick wall which actually made a few pieces of rubble crumble down onto the floor, and Mia took the opportunity to buckle him at the back of his right knee, slightly misbalancing him for only a moment.

With her knife at the ready in her right hand and the adrenaline reverberating through her body so loudly that Texas could've heard it, Mia awaited his next move. As he turned to face her, he glanced down at the knife with his face completely unreadable and still covered by the mask.

The man slid his hand into a pocket that sat on his mid-thigh and slipped out a blade that Mia recognised to be the Soviet NR-40.

 _He's totally doing a 'mine is bigger than yours' thing right now, isn't he?_

Mia launched herself at the man with as much force as she could conjure and brought her _Kiridashi_ to his ribs in an attempt to slash him. However, he didn't seem too keen on prolonging the ordeal any more than he already had. He promptly side-stepped her attack and sliced his own knife at the inside of her upper arm, causing Mia to wince in pain and momentarily lose her focus; that was all he needed.

Taking advantage of her current state, the man landed an uppercut to her abdomen before knocking her down with a hook to the jaw. Undecided as to whether or not he should finish the job, the man stood over her as she kept the knife resolutely in hand and stared up at him, something akin to fire in her eyes.

Feeling comforted by the fact that she'd been in moments of near-death a few times before, Mia took it for what it was and decided that she refused to die without at least getting the last word in.

"If you're gonna kill me, then can you at least do it with the metal arm? Y'know, it'll probably make for a better story to tell when I get to Heaven," said Mia as she wiped some blood from her lip.

The man knelt down before Mia and ran his critical eyes over her.

 _Height: 5'9._

 _Weight: 135 lbs._

 _Age: 20-25._

 _Level of Threat: Moderate._

 _Terminate: Negative._

As Mia awaited the blow that would surely end her life, she thought back to her family and hoped beyond hope that she would picture them through to her final moment. Closing her eyes and welcoming the pain, Mia barely registered that her assailant spoke before he threw a punch with his right hand to her temple that left her unconscious.

"небо не ждут".

 _Heaven does not await._

* * *

 _Mia caro –_ My dear

 _Uus, sensai_ – Yes, teacher

 _Zalami_ – Dude

 _Ahsant_ – Well done


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes: Hiyaaaaa ladies and gentle-folks! Uploading this chapter so that we can get the story moving along a little quicker. Hope y'all enjoy it! Much love,**

 **\- M**

 _ **Edited Chapter**_

Chapter 2

The fields were green. It was a shade so flawless in its colour that it reflected all its surroundings, projecting an olive shadow onto the lone house which stood at the centre of the landscape. From where Mia was standing, she could see the sun beginning to set just beyond her home. In contrast to the rocky mountains that Aleppo was famous for, Mia's sanctuary boasted all the beauty that one would find in an untouched rainforest. If she didn't know any better, Mia would've thought this was Heaven. But the second she heard planes flying overheard, she knew that this was the furthest thing from Paradise; this was Syria.

Just as the bombs were dispatched from the jets flying above Mia's home, time seemed to slow down. The previously pink sky sunk into a lacklustre shade of grey, stealing away the green that had once blanketed the ground with it. Just as she began to move away in an effort to run, Mia saw a familiar figure step onto the porch of the two-storied building. Stopping in her tracks, she called out to the spectre with all the strength in her lungs.

" _Mama_ , get out of there! _Mama_!"

Her pleading fell on deaf ears as her mother continued to stare emptily at the nothingness before her. Feeling hot tears stream down her face, Mia tried once again to save her mother from the fate she knew awaited her.

" _Mama_ , they'll take you away from me! No," she cried. "Please God, not again."

As her mother finally acknowledged her daughter's presence, she looked towards Mia and smiled weakly before saying, "I'm already gone, _qalbi_."

As those words were uttered, the bomb that had been suspended in mid air finally reached its destination. And with an all-consuming blast, Mia was engulfed by white dust.

Waking up with a cry and beads of sweat rolling down her forehead, it took Mia a few moments to grasp the reality that she was alive, she was safe and it had just been another dream. Sighing with a mixture of relief and sadness, she looked towards the Dragon Ball Z clock that sat on her bedside table. _3:47 am_ _._

Since Mia's unfortunate encounter with the Mystery Metal Man of Georgetown two weeks earlier, the number of times she'd woken up with a scream or from choking on tears had grown exponentially.

Thinking back to that night, she shuddered at the thought of what might've happened had the groundsmen not found her lying unconscious at the base of the brick wall. But considering that she'd only suffered a mild concussion and a hell-of-a bruise to her chin, she probably would've been okay. Hell, she'd had worse injuries during training, and that night hadn't exactly been a practice drill.

She'd been carried by the groundskeeper to the 24 hour medical bay that was conveniently only 100 metres from where she'd had her Balboa v Creed showdown. The nurse had checked her vitals while she was still unconscious, and managed to clean off the blood that had trickled from the nice slash he'd left on her arm. Although the nurse was quite sure that Mia's wounds were superficial, he proceeded to follow the University's protocol required in cases such as these. Just as he was about to dial the ambulance, Mia stirred and immediately caught his attention.

"Oh…God—What… happened?" slurred Mia as she blinked jadedly and tried to sit up. She was met with the sight of a tall, young Asian man in his blue nurse's scrubs, holding his hands out to prevent Mia from making any moves her body wasn't ready for.

"Woah, woah, you need to stay lying down, Miss. Now, can you please tell me your name?"

"Rubeus Hagrid."

The tired nurse sighed lowly. "Ma'am, would you mind telling me your _birth_ name?"

 _Rubeus Hagrid could be my birth name, how the hell would you know, slick?_

"Miriya Alfiyan."

"Okay, and Miriya, how are you feeling right about now?"

Knocking her head back onto the pillow of the uncomfortable bed, Mia closed her eyes before replying, "Like I don't get paid nearly enough as an amateur boxer to be taking hits like that."

The nurse laughed softly. "Well, I'm glad to see that you're still in good spirits, because there's gonna be a whole lot of paperwork you'll need to fill out about the incident. Can you remember what happened?"

Now feeling balanced enough to rise from the ashes – or from the bed, same thing – Mia used the side railing to push herself up and into a seated position. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she mumbled, "There's not gonna be any paperwork because I'm not going to report it."

Taken aback by such an idea, the nurse insisted, "I'm afraid that isn't up to you, Miss Alfiyan. Georgetown's policies are very clear about on-campus assault, and this wasn't a small graze either. I was about to call the ambulance if you—"

"No!" she said a little too loudly. She cleared her throat, "I mean, no, that's fine…I'm an international student, sir. My medical bills are triple what they are for American citizens, and even those are horrendous." She shook her head. "Seriously, what kind of a country doesn't have free healthcare?"

Sighing softly, he continued, "Okay, I understand not wanting to call the ambulance, but why wouldn't you want to report this? Someone's clearly hurt you, and if you don't notify the right authorities, they run the risk of doing it again to someone else. Realistically, that person might not be as lucky as you."

Shaking her head and feeling all the more dizzier for it, Mia tried to stand up and instantly regretted it as she wobbled like a baby giraffe before the nurse helped her steady herself. "Look, I understand where you're coming from, but it was really nothing. I got into an argument with someone and we exchanged words and…fists…but _she_ got it way worse than me."

… _He literally left the fight unscathed_.

"She?" he asked with a raised brows. "You mean a woman did this to you?"

"Yeah…I found out she was…having an affair…with my boyfriend." The idea of Mia having a significant other was so wildly hilarious even to her that she ended up laughing a little before turning the sound into a cough to remove suspicion.

"And we both did what we needed to do…to release the…pent up…tension."

 _Please believe me, please believe me, please believe me._

She cleared her throat. "But like I said, it was mutual and filing a police report would just blow it way out of proportion. She's over it, I'll be over it as soon as I get an ice pack for my jaw and we'll go about our lives."

Giving the nurse a look that she hoped would end the conversation, Mia looked at the clock and realised it was only 8:30. Thank God she had a friend like Mel on speed dial, because regardless of how much she played it off, Mia wouldn't be driving for a while.

Coming back to the present time and still under her sheets in bed, Mia couldn't pinpoint exactly why she didn't want the police to know. For starters, she supposed they never would have believed that a mysterious masked man with a funky arm decided to jump a girl in a place as secure as Georgetown University. Mia herself tried to reason that her eyes had played a massive trick on her and that she hadn't had a knife fight with a limbless assassin. But after she'd quickly recovered from her scattered wounds, Mia was more than eager to get back to her daily routine and put the ordeal down to a run-of-the-mill carjacking gone wrong. That's all it was.

Trying and failing to go back to sleep for the next half an hour, Mia grumbled as she got up and out of her new (and _sinfully_ comfortable) double bed. She was halfway to the bathroom when an idea suddenly struck her. Since Mia had arrived in DC, she'd been told by 2 different people that an early morning run by the Thomas Jefferson Memorial just before sunrise was one of the most rewarding efforts in the city. Deciding that spontaneity and a distraction was _precisely_ what she needed, Mia pulled on her running Skins and slipped on a black tank before pulling her hair up into what she hoped was a neat ponytail.

…Not that it really mattered, because who in their right mind actually woke up at such an ungodly hour to run laps around a national monument?

Mia spent the 10 minute car ride to the Memorial contemplating just how illogical it was that she was using a car to get to a place where she'd run around a bit and then waste more fuel by driving back.

 _Sometimes I find it really hard to believe that we're the most evolved and intelligent species._

She arrived at her destination to find it blissfully empty, leaving her to park in the nearest space. Being that it was only 4:40, there was still very little light provided by the dawn's sky. As Mia made her way over to the stairs of the memorial, she couldn't help but be in awe of the sight that stood before her. She'd been to all the classic must-see locations when she's first come to DC, but somehow, it all seemed so different after almost 8 months of living there. Deciding that there was no better time to start off with a slow jog, Mia briefly stretched her legs before plugging her headphones in and getting lost in the rhythm of the music.

About 30 minutes into her run and now blasting "Soul on Fire" by The Mystery Skulls, Mia was still jogging at an even pace and taking in the light orange tinge that had graced the skyline. It really was a thing of beauty, and she felt a little disheartened that after almost 23 years of living, she had only ever seen a handful of daybreaks. She decided was going to change that.

Briefly taking note that there was a man running a few hundred metres in front of her, Mia continued at a more gradual pace than him and was back into a steady rhythm when she felt a soft breeze pass her, apparently caused by a running body.

Only able to see the back of a blonde-haired man, Mia was too busy striving for an uptake of oxygen to even consider who he might have been. Resisting the urge to collapse there and then, Mia soldiered on for another few minutes before she felt yet _another_ soft breeze float by her, and this time, she snapped her head up to try and get a glimpse of this guy.

 _Jesus, what kind of Olympics are you training for, pal?_

Utterly bemused at the fact that this man had run a lap in about _3 minutes,_ Mia was determined to get a look at him the next time he embarrassingly overtook her. Stopping off to the side of the cement, Mia started stretching to make sure her 5 mile run didn't result in any soreness throughout the day. Taking one leg and pulling it up to her lower back, Mia slowly bobbed her head to a Rob Thomas track before noticing that the same man who had been jogging in front of her was steadily approaching.

Ready to greet him with a polite 'hi', Mia lifted her head up and tightened her pony tail before looking towards the man. Even though he was still too far away to get a good look at his face, Mia got the distinct impression that she _knew_ this guy. The second he neared enough for Mia to get a glance of him smiling a toothy smile, she slowly let down the leg she'd been stretching and simply gawked.

 _No fricking way_.

"Sam?!"

"Y'know, if you wanted to see me again so bad, you didn't have to find me at 5:30 in the morning. A simple phone call would've done the trick," said Sam with a cheeky glint in his eye.

Shaking her head in laughter, Mia replied, "True. But it's so much more fun to have you thinkin' that I've had a P.I. following you for the last 2 weeks. You wore a nice shirt last Tuesday, by the way."

Now it was Sam's turn to laugh, as he noted, "You are literally the last person I would expect to see on my morning run. How come I've never seen you here before?"

"Well, I'm not much of a runner, but I got told by a couple of friends that the Jefferson Memorial and Loszlo Park are two places where running at the crack of dawn can actually be 'rewarding'."

Sam nodded. "Well, they're not wrong. Actually, there's this other place by—"

"On your left!" yelled the Mystery Running Man before he sped away. Come to think of it, that voice sounded kind of familiar. And his physique, from what Mia had caught a glimpse of, was nothing short of impressive. _How in the Hell…_

"Was that _Captain America_?" asked Mia with a too-loud squeak.

Sam nodded. "He's been doing that the entire goddamn run, every time he passes by me. It's hard to think of anyone else who could blaze my ass like that."

Just as Sam went to sit down at the base of a nearby tree, a now-familiar face waltzed towards the pair with his hands on his inhumanly narrow hips and his hair perfectly windswept.

"I need a new set of lungs. Dude, you just ran 13 miles in 30 minutes," wheezed Sam as he took refuge on the grass.

"Guess I got a late start," replied the Captain with a smirk.

"Ha. Really? You should be ashamed of yourself."

Steve laughed before looking Mia's way and squinting in realisation. "I gotta say, it feels sorta strange seein' you without asking whether I can get a slice of Tiramisu."

Relatively shocked that Steve actually remembered her, Mia let out a sound that was a mixture between a swoon and a sigh, and then quickly started coughing to (yet again) cover an embarrassing sound from her lips.

 _Is it really that painful for you to be normal for 5 minutes_?

Sam looked between the two before saying, "…Is that like a euphemism or something? You didn't tell me you knew the Captain of America," said Sam with a hint of a smile.

"Oh God, no, he came into the coffeehouse I work at for their Tiramisu. You should try it sometime. The experience is _life changing._ "

Sam quickly held his hand out to Steve and introduced himself. "Sam Wilson."

"Steve Rogers."

Sam chuckled. "Yeah, I gathered that."

As the two men continued talking, Mia took the opportunity to text her brother a succinct and efficient message alerting him of the situation.

 _Mia: WAKE THE FUCK UP ZEYN I MET HIM AGAIN WHERE ARE YOU?! MAYDAY MAYDAY THIS IS NOT A DRILL! I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL!_

Discretely pocketing her phone, Mia kept an unreadable face as she turned back to the conversation at hand. She watched as Steve put a small notebook into his pocket before looking back at the pair of red-faced and sweaty joggers.

"How's Nora doin', by the way?"

"She's a whole lot better now, thanks. Actually, I passed on your little message to her and she almost went into cardiac arrest thinking of all the extra pastries she could make you if she knew what time you'd be coming in beforehand." Mia laughed softly before adding, "She's expecting you, y'know."

Looking down and smiling, Steve answered, "Well, you tell her to do her worst, 'cos I'll be dropping by sometime soon."

"Will do, Cap."

A sudden _ding_ alerted Steve to an incoming message that he read before promptly turning to Sam and Mia. "Alright guys, it was good meeting you, but duty calls." He shook Sam's hand and added, "Thanks for the run…If that's what you wanna call running."

Raising an eyebrow, Sam replied, "Oh, that's how it is? Okay." He laughed and added, "Hey, anytime you wanna stop by the V.A. and make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk, just let me know."

Walking backwards, Steve replied, "I'll keep that in mind. I'll see you around, Mia."

"Catcha' Cap!" said Mia, her inner _Aussie-ness_ shining through with her favourite way to say 'goodbye'.

Just as Mia thought that the Captain would be on his way to walk wherever he needed to, a customised Corvette Stingray made its way to the curb and slowly had one of its windows peeled down.

"Hey, guys. Any of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil."

Breath all but stolen from her lungs and her heart rate having grown more than when she was actually running, Mia stared dumbly at the _gorgeous_ redhead that piloted the car.

 _Holy Mother of Lamingtons, that's Black Widow. My bowels are loosening. What is happening?! Be cool, Mia._

"You can't run everywhere," said Steve as he sat himself in the car.

Chuckling lightly, Sam replied, "No, you can't." And with that, the car sped off into the early morning traffic of DC.

As Sam stood back up, Mia was still in somewhat of a trance before the clearing of a throat brought her back to present-day America.

In a voice just above a whisper, Mia looked at Sam and said, "I honestly don't know which one of us is more turned on right now."

* * *

The next week went by in a blur. Without any exams or assignments to complete for another 5 weeks, Mia came to the unfortunate realisation that she'd have to do a boatload of mundane errands she'd been avoiding for a long, long time.

For starters, she decided to take Abu - yes, she named her Camaro after the monkey from Aladdin - to the mechanics. Being that she'd doubled her shifts at Vito's over the past few weeks, Mia had managed to save up a nice little sum in the ole' piggy bank that _might_ be able to shed some light on why her beloved car died on her every fortnight.

That being said, she couldn't complain too much. If there was one thing that she would be eternally grateful for, it was that her car had short-circuited on the night that the man with the metal arm tried to jack it. Fully expecting to see it all but gone when she'd emerged from the medical bay, Mia almost fell to her knees in gratitude to the Lord for having kept her car un-drivable when the thief had tried to steal it.

That's why she was making the journey from her home in Bethesda to her regular mechanic all the way in Rosaryville. Gearing up for the almost hour long trip, Mia stopped off at a gas station to top up and sate her unbearable craving for Mini M&M's. After filling up the tank, she headed into the station and waited in line as the television played absently in the background.

And had Mia been paying attention, she would've heard the news replaying the events of the previous day, where a mysterious masked man was filmed engaging in hand-to-hand combat with Captain America under a freeway.

Mia arrived at Hardy's Mechanics almost half an hour later, and parked her car in the customer lot. Tommy Hardy was someone that Mel had actually recommended to Mia when she'd first bought the Camaro. Mel said that after having lived in DC for 12 years of her life, she trusted no one more than Tommy to take care of her own cars, and that no distance was too far to travel for the benefit of his services.

Shoving the keys into her shorts pocket, Mia began walking towards the large shed where Abu would get all patched up. She swung the glass door open, walked in and smiled instantly as she saw a familiar face standing behind the front desk.

"Y'know, I'll be honest. I was hoping I'd seen the last of you when you somehow managed to break your carburetor a month after I'd installed a new one." Tommy looked over some papers in hand with his glasses resting at the tip of his nose, his dirty blonde hair swept back and away from his face. As one hand stroked his unkempt beard, the other put down the papers and looked up at Mia before breaking into a little smirk that was just _classically Tommy_.

"Well, a little birdie told me you were missing me, old man," said Mia with a smile. "So, I decided I'd break something else of Abu's and have a reason to visit you, y'know, before you start taking out your anger on the poor fellas' that work at this joint."

Even though Tommy was only in his early 50's, he'd lived the sort of life that made the years show up clearly on his face. Having moved from Louisiana with his family when he was 18, he'd spent his entire life looking after a shop that his dad had left him after he'd passed. Tommy had married young, and through the grace of God, had a girl who would've been about Mia's age.

It was only a few months prior that it'd come to her knowledge that his daughter, Evie, passed away in a car accident when she was 14.

In the year that Mia had known him, Tommy had changed from relatively reserved to blessedly honest and open with her. In a way, she knew that she reminded him of his baby girl. It was in his subtle protectiveness when he cautioned her, the way he always, _always_ made sure that her car was as safe to drive as possible. Joey, one of the head mechanics at the shop, had told Mia a while back that Tommy spent almost double the time on her car rechecking the filters, pipes and chambers. And quietly, having someone who cared enough to do such things was something that Mia never took for granted.

Tommy walked around the desk towards Mia and pulled her in for a side hug. "Kid, one of these days you're gonna get yourself into a whole mess of trouble that I won't be able to fix with a screwdriver and a wrench," he said with a small smile. "What happened to Abu this time?"

Mia explained that someone had _unsuccessfully_ tried to jack her car, but spared Tommy the part about her getting her face caved in by an aggressive TinMan. Tommy told her it'd take about two hours to get a full check done, and that she could run any errands she had until then.

The time went by quick as ever, and after doing some light shopping and snacking at the local mall, Mia was back on her way to Hardy's Garage with headphones in her ears and bags in her hands. Stepping into the bustling and vibrant area, Mia called out to Tommy and Joey before making her way over to their work station. "How are you fellas doin' with my baby?"

Tommy wheeled out from underneath Abu with a torch in one hand and a spanner in the other. "It's a miracle to me that you've managed to stay on the road for as long as you have, considering your friend that tried to jack it managed to fry half of the circuits in the insulation." He got up with a huff and wiped his blackened hands of the oil. "The chances of you burnin' out your starter motor were getting higher by the day. God forbid what could've happened if you hadn't come in quickly."

Strangely enough, Mia felt a pang of guilt reverberate through her body at his words, matched with the disappointed tone he said them in.

"But, it's alright now. I rerouted the battery wire to the starter, so there's not gonna be any crazy sparks flying from the bottom of your car. Besides that, checked the oil and the filters, everything seems good. You've taken better care of him this time," said Tommy with a small grin.

Mia giggled softly before replying, "Well, I can't keep paying crooks like you for too long. Lord knows what kinda shady business youse are into. I figured I should only come in here for emergencies and such."

Tommy pointed a greasy finger in Mia's direction. "I'll remember all this talk the next time you come in here, kid."

Throwing her head back in laughter, Mia thanked her lucky stars for having met a person like good ole' Tom. "Thank you so much, Tommy. Honestly, it puts my mind at ease knowin' I've got someone like you looking after him like this."

Tommy came towards Mia and slung an arm around her shoulder before saying, "Don't get all sappy on me, bug. You know its company policy not to cry in front of employees." Tommy stared pointedly at Joey who cracked a goofy grin and continued about his work. "Don't you worry about a thing, kid. I got you."

After making their way back to the front desk of the shop, Mia grabbed her purse to get out the cash she'd set aside for the day. Tommy was ringing up Mia's usual heavily-discounted bill when a thought suddenly came to mind.

"I've been meaning to ask you since morning. You weren't anywhere near the wreck on the Northeastern Freeway yesterday, were you?" he asked with concern.

Mia looked at him with confusion. "Wreck on the Freeway? What happened?"

Tommy looked up from the Eftpos machine in hand. "The flipped buses and cars on the bridge? That Captain America fella' got into a fight with a bunch of goons down on 42nd?"

Now Mia was _really_ confused. How had she not heard about this?

"What? I…I didn't know about any of that."

He nodded. "Well, at least that means you weren't anywhere near it when it happened, and that's all that matters."

As if almost on cue, Joey came bounding into the office and shouted, "Turn on the T.V.!" He then went outside and stood a few metres away from the window, seemingly staring up at the sky. Tommy made quick and opened the T.V. to the first channel that was playing.

In the haste of the moment, Mia felt utterly lost as to what was happening. She followed Joey out of the shop and stood beside him as she beheld, what may have been, the most destruction she'd seen in her life.

Three satellite-like floating infrastructures looked to be riddled with flames, and were barrelling down at a fast rate to the ground. All three of them were within a close distance to one other, and if Mia's sense of direction wasn't failing her, they were situated right above DC.

Time seemed to slow down and the deafening noise muted to a murmur as the first satellite fell, followed by the second and the third. For a brief moment, blurred by disorientation, Mia couldn't comprehend that this was America, that it was happening in one of the most well-protected cities in the world. Surely, she thought, this had to be Aleppo. People didn't see flames and mountains of smoke like this in the States. It just…didn't happen.

All at once, Mia was being forced inside by Joey who hastened to close the door behind them. They were well away from what would be the point of impact for the satellites, but the fact that something like this was unfolding in front of them was more than enough reason for them to exercise caution. Mia sat down on one of the couch chairs and stared absently in front of her until a nagging sound stole her attention.

"—scenes from the wreckage are showing that the helicarriers have fallen into the Potomac and are showering thousands of tonnes worth of debris into the River. We're now crossing over to our live correspondent. John, what can you tell us about the attack so far?"

Mia's hearing zoned out while she stared at the moving pictures on the television in front of her. Joey was pacing nervously behind her and Tommy was leaning on the back of the chair, with his glasses on and his knuckles being cracked in anxiousness. Mia was more unnerved by the fact that she didn't know the cause of the entire incident. Had it been a terrorist attack? Was it a machinery malfunction? Did this have anything to do with the people Steve was fighting with yesterday?

It was as these words were swirling around Mia's head that the headline looped at the bottom of the screen changed.

 _Breaking News: The Triskelion Has Fallen._


	3. Chapter 3

**_Edited Chapter_**

Chapter 3

 _ **One month later**_

It was about 2:37 am when Steve Rogers angrily threw the stack of papers he'd been reading out of his hand and let them scatter across the carpeted floor. After a month of reviewing each security camera within a 30 mile radius of the Potomac and checking every server that had a profile matching Bucky's, Steve could feel the hope he had left all but breaking in the face of unrelenting failure.

How the hell was he going to find him?

Rubbing his eyes with the back of his calloused hands, Steve glanced over at the clock sitting on his desk. Begrudgingly, he gathered the papers up from the floor and began to clear the table that he'd been hibernating at for the last week. He'd have to thank Nat for setting him up at a safe house on such short notice, but he didn't think he'd be hearing from her any time soon.

After switching off the light to his temporary study, Steve was half-way to his room before he stopped and had a thought. _There's no way you're gonna get any sleep tonight_. Looking over to the door that beheld a spacious gym, one which Nat no doubt had a hand in providing, Steve figured it was time that he did something besides moping around in hopes of finding his best friend.

Just before he was released from the hospital, Steve's doctors had warned him against engaging in any physical activity for at least two weeks. But Steve being Steve, he'd asked Sam to take him to an old boxing gym he'd used before SHIELD _immediately_ after he was discharged. Even though Sam had only known Steve for a short time, there was something about marching into war with a person that forges an understanding that most people can't create over a lifetime. It took a good three hours of beating 7 punching bags to a pulp before Steve finally relented and joined Sam to head to the safe house that Nat had set up for him.

And now, almost a month later, Steve was standing in front of an Everlast sandbag with tape wrapped securely around his wrists and hands. He flexed his fingers a few times before he assumed his fighting stance and eyed the bag. And within a moment's breath, he attacked.

The punches that were being landed were completely unlike Steve's typically efficient strikes. Whilst he was normally calculated and controlled, at the present moment, he could only be defined as _reckless._ Every hit was undisciplined, packed with raw force as it hit the leather casing of the bag. As the energy was transferred from his knuckles to the target, it swung back further and further with the growing momentum. And all the while, Steve had just one person on his mind.

Bucky had known him. He'd _saved_ him from the river. To Steve, it spoke volumes that even in a state where his mind was devoid of all memories and history, it was laced into the very fabric of Bucky's being to protect him. He wasn't saving Captain America, nor was he saving an Avenger; he looked at Steve and sensed a glint of familiarity, and that was all it took.

The thing which angered Steve most was the unwavering truth that he'd failed his best friend, and he'd been failing him since the day he'd slipped through his fingers on Zola's train. Winding his right hand back and sending a concrete punch to the bag, Steve pictured Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes being cut of his left arm by his enemies in a run-down Soviet warehouse. As he landed a kick to the head of the leather, Steve saw a broken man yelling out in pain as the Memory Suppressing Machine latched onto his temples, with just one name falling from his lips: _Steve_. As he landed the finishing blow to the core of the bag, Steve saw the Winter Soldier taking the lives of over 60 confirmed victims with a vengeance that wasn't natural to him, but consumed him nonetheless.

Steve saw a man that was supposed to have lived a life with a family and a home, spoiled by every happiness within reach. And instead, Bucky had spent the last few weeks running from the one man who could give him a chance at getting any of that back.

As Steve exhaled heavy breaths and stared down at the punching bag's contents strewn across the floor, he was mildly alarmed as to why he could hear the ringing of a phone coming from his room at this hour. Jogging in to pick up the call, he quickly noted the caller ID before picking up. "Sam?"

"Steve, he's in the house," he said with evident concern. "Homeboy _is in_ your house. He just tripped up the sensors that Natasha set up and I got an alert. I've got live streaming up until your doorstep but beyond that, I'm blind. I'll be there in 10."

And with that, Sam hung up the phone, leaving Steve to decipher whether a lack of sleep had induced whatever just happened, or if he was really in the vicinity of the man he'd been yearning to find for so long.

Softly placing the phone back on the bed, Steve calmed his breathing and stepped out of the room, still clad in his sweaty white tank top and sweatpants. Turning on the light in the hallway, he walked towards the airy kitchen and stepped up to the counter to reach for the switch. Eyeing the entrance to the living room as if the ghost would disappear upon the first sign of light, Steve hoped beyond hope that this wasn't just another shattered chance. He just wanted to see his brother again.

Almost as if the Heavens themselves had heard his prayers, Steve lit the room with the bright overhead light and stood paralysed, as he beheld the spectre standing behind the dining table.

There he was, James Buchanan Barnes, in the flesh. Clothed in too-big faded jeans, a corduroy jacket and a Yankees cap, Bucky looked almost as dumbstruck as Steve did. With Bucky's eyes wide and breath becoming progressively uneven, Steve was unsure of how to approach this next part. So, he just went with what he knew.

"Y'know, about 70 years ago, you wouldn't have been caught dead wearing a Yankees cap." Steve swallowed. "But, I guess there's no point rooting for the Dodgers anymore."

If it was even possible, Bucky seemed even more confused than he was when he first looked at Steve. He seemed to consider his words for a few moments before finally wetting his lips and asking in a timid voice, "Why's that?"

If Steve took solace in any fact, it was that even after both of them had gone through a lifetime of changes, Bucky's voice still took him back to their 16-year-old selves in the streets of Brooklyn. Somewhere, at his core, it was still him.

"Because the Dodgers got moved to Los Angeles in '57. Brooklyn doesn't even have a team anymore, Buck."

Bucky lowered his eyes to the kitchen table and remained silent for what seemed like an eternity. He scratched the inside of his thumb with his index finger, a habit that he'd had since the boys were 8 years old. It was as Steve waited with bated breath that it occurred to him;

This was the first time he'd _really_ gotten to see Bucky since 1944.

The lines on his forehead and around his mouth seemed foreign on his once porcelain skin. With his eyebrows drawn together and the hollows of his cheeks sunken in further than they'd ever been, his face took on a completely different form, and Steve wondered if a smile had graced his features in the decades that they hadn't seen each other.

Bucky let out an almost inaudible breath as he looked Steve dead in the eyes for the first time that night. "I'm glad we were dead for that, then."

* * *

 _ **One month later**_

"Zeyn _please_ , just don't make me talk to her," begged Mia. "You know what she's gonna say and you _know_ that I'm gonna end up losing my shit. I just…don't wanna deal with her right now."

Zeyn let out a deep exhale on the other end of the line. "C'mon Mia, don't be like that. You think I enjoy the riveting conversations that I have with her? But no matter what it is, she's still our _khaala_ (aunt). Don't forget that."

Mentally rolling her eyes as she reversed the car from Vito's parking lot, Mia replied, "She's gonna ask me how my studies are going, and then she'll veer off and talk about how if _mama_ had raised me right then I'd be married and popping out babies instead of being in a foreign country, trying to get an education. It's always the same thing, Zeyn, and she _always_ brings _mama_ into it."

Zeyn went quiet for a moment. "Mia, just think of it like this; if _mama_ and _baba_ were here right now, would they want you treating her like that? No matter what she said about them, they'd still want you to fulfil your duties as the only daughter she's ever gonna have. Don't dishonour their memory."

Throwing her head back onto the car seat and momentarily closing her eyes at the red light, Mia mulled over that thought. Her aunt and uncle had sponsored her family to make the move from Syria just before her parents died. But when they came to know that only Mia and Zeyn remained, their uncle began to resent them in a way that Mia hadn't known was possible by someone who shared her blood. He quietly blamed them for the fact that his brother was killed, and that was enough to cement them in his ill graces.

And as for their aunty…well, she loathed the idea that she had to live her life caring for children that weren't hers to begin with.

"God, I hate it when you're right," complained Mia. "It genuinely makes me mad."

Zeyn let out a huff of breath. "Yeah, I know kid. Just give her a call, it's probably been a few months since the last time you did. You never know, maybe not seeing your face for almost a year softened her up a little bit."

Scoffing at the idea, Mia replied, "Unless she got that stick removed from her ass, I highly doubt that."

Zeyn laughed despite his best efforts not to, but still said, "Nah Mia, don't talk like that. It doesn't suit you, y'know."

"Yeah, yeah. I know," she succumbed.

"Alright, kid. I gotta head off, but call _khaala_ and don't be bitchy. I'll give you a call later, yeah?"

"Yeah, alright. Stay outta trouble," she said.

"No promises," he quipped.

Hanging up the phone and now stuck in peak hour traffic, Mia figured she couldn't escape giving her tyrannous aunt a call for the first time in 2 months. She knew it was wrong to be on the phone while driving, but the way she saw it, if the conversation took a turn for the worst then she could always arrive a little early to her meeting with God.

Finding the right name and clicking the 'call' button on her phone, Mia held it to her ear and took in a deep breath.

 _Just think of what mama would want you to say_.

 _Ring, ring_.

 _Try to tone down the sarcasm_.

 _Ring, ring_.

 _Do_ not _mention the—_

"Hello?"

Plastering a smile to her face, Mia replied, " _Khaala_ , its Miriya, how are you?"

Continuing the conversation in Arabic, Mia's aunt sounded distinctly unhappy upon realising just who had called her. "Ah, Miriya. I am well. Perhaps if you cared to call earlier than 3 months then you would know that."

 _Lord give me strength_.

"How are your studies?"

Mia cleared her throat. "They're going good, _khaala._ Only a few months left, and I'm actually hoping to start a program once I fin—"

"Should I bother to ask whether you have met anyone since you've been over there?" _khaala_ interrupted. "I suppose you do not come across many respectable young men where you are."

Squeezing her eyes shut and tightening her grip on the steering wheel, Mia replied curlty, "No _khaala,_ I've been focusing on studies and work. I haven't had much time to meet anyone."

"Well, perhaps you should make time, Miriya. You're not getting any younger and this is important. You'd know that if—"

Knowing _exactly_ where that road was headed, Mia uncharacteristically cut off her aunt before she saw red.

"How's _khaalu_ (uncle)? Is his health doing better?"

Obviously taken aback at the boldness of Mia's interruption, it took a few moments before her aunt replied. "He's doing fine. He had a meeting with a potential client from Vienna today. It'll probably go through."

Mia's uncle also happened to be one of the most successful importers of European textiles in the country. It was the reason that he'd managed to leave Syria in the first place. He was given an opportunity to start a small business in Sydney that brought over fabrics from Germany and Austria, and after 18 years at it, he'd transformed it into a million-dollar company.

"Wow, _khaala,_ that's great to hear. I hope it works out for him."

"Hmm.."

Now that the conversation had successfully taken a turn onto the corner of Awkward and Brain-Numbingly Uncomfortable Street, Mia thought it was high time she _skedaddled_.

"Well _khaala,_ I'm just driving right now so I'll give you a call—"

"Miriya."

"Yeah?"

 _Khaala_ cleared her throat before she questioned, "Are you…doing okay with…everything? Do you need me to send anything from here? Some money or…"

Mia's eyes widened and having not expected that in the _least,_ she floundered about for some words before settling for, "No, no, _khaala_ , I'm doing fine. Thank you, but Zeyn already sends me more than I need every month, so…"

"I know he does." She spoke in a softer voice, "That boy, he works himself too hard. Even when you both were little." She paused. "He forgets that he's still so young."

Not having any idea in the slightest as to where all this was coming from, Mia could only think of one way to respond to that.

Looking at her fingers gripping the steering wheel and picturing her brother, she replied softly, "I guess he's just always looked after his own. He…he makes it easy to be proud of him."

Mia was sure that she had transcended to an alternate universe once she heard what _khaala_ had to say next.

"Yes…yes, he does."

All was quiet for a few moments, before her aunt took it upon herself to end the unprecedented moment of affection, an indulgence she hadn't shared in years. "Well, I will talk later. Goodbye, Miriya."

Mia hung up the call and stared at her phone for a few moments with a puzzled expression on her face. Her aunt had offered her _help_ and she'd actually _complimented_ Zeyn. Either Mia had passively smoked some A Grade hallucinogens, _or_ ,her aunt had shown a crack in her stone cold façade. Either way, it wasn't at all how Mia expected to end her day.

* * *

2 weeks later, Mia found herself furiously preparing for her last ever exam at Georgetown University, with her graduation date set for 4 months later. On the other side of town, Bucky Barnes held his face in his hands and had his legs dangling on either side of a backwards-facing chair, as he half-listened to Natasha Romanoff and Sam Wilson squabbling about a long forgotten and _horridly_ uninteresting mission.

"You can't seriously be telling me that the KGB took the wrap for Sirad Dastani back in Cairo? That was a S.E.A.L. operation, you can't deny that," said Sam with all the passion of a 13 year old gamer-boy.

"Oh, please. The S.E.A.L.'s came in to clean up shop. Everybody knows that Dastani was hiding intel about Chechnya. American Forces weren't even involved until they caught wind that Russia was planning on taking him out."

Sam's scoff dripped with sarcasm as he replied, "That's just the thing. Russian's always wanna take the cake for these ops. What are you gonna tell me next, that you dropped Litvinenko?"

Nat's mouth upturned with her signature smirk as she replied, "Nope. That wasn't KGB. That was him."

Nat pointed a thumb in Bucky's direction, who'd zoned out after the 2nd minute of the pair having started their argument. Still unaware that the conversation had switched to him, Bucky rubbed his eyes and furrowed his brows, wondering why the room had suddenly gone quiet. He looked up, only to find Sam staring disbelievingly at him and Nat's thumb pointed his way.

"What?" he asked.

Sam huffed. "Un-fucking-believable. This…Are there any political figure you _haven't_ sent to the grave? What the fuck's wrong with you?!"

Nat laughed at Bucky's still-confused expression and said, "Hey, cut him some slack. Litvinenko was a rat. He would've got what was coming to him, one way or another."

Sam sat down dejectedly on the ottoman in Steve's new spacious living room, before quietly saying to himself, "I gotta get some new friends, man."

As if on cue, Sam's reason for being in such _experienced_ company walked into the room, with his hair wet and a towel around his singlet-clad shoulders. "Why so glum?" asked Steve.

Sam piped up. "Because it turns out that your homeboy _and_ homegirl over here were _literally_ the only two assassins in Russia. Seriously Steve, you sure can pick 'em."

Steve chuckled slightly before using his towel to dry his hair. "Yeah, I guess I can."

Nat piped up, "I've been here a total of 3 days and so far, all I've seen you and Barnes do is wake up, eat breakfast, spar, eat lunch, do weight training, eat dinner, then go to bed. Just 'cos I set you up in a new apartment, doesn't mean that you have to stay in it religiously. When was the last time you guys went out?"

Steve considered the thought for a moment. "I got eggs from the deli a few days ago. Oh, and I got my bike fixed down at Lori's last week."

Nat rolled her eyes. "Has Barnes even been outside since you guys moved in here? I get that you're trying to be careful, but no one's looking for him right now. With SHIELD down, none of the other intel agencies even know he's alive, let alone living here with you. For all they know, he got buried under the rubble in the Potomac."

Visibly tensing at the mention of that day, Bucky looked to the ground and felt the plates in his left arm begin to reform as they always did when his heart rate was elevated. Steve noticed and looked towards Nat with a 'well, do you have any suggestions?' sort of expression.

Nat sighed, "All I'm saying is, it's not gonna do either one of you any good if you just stay cooped up in here. It seems like the first time in forever that you've had time off of missions, so you might as well take advantage of that."

Unexpectedly, Sam joined in. "Y'know she's right. Why don't we start out by just going and grabbing some food? Nothing too crazy."

Nat added a sound of agreement and looked at Steve as he stood next to Bucky. Letting out a soft exhale, he glanced at his friend and found that they could still have conversations with their expressions, just like they did when they were younger. It had been almost 2 months since Bucky started living with Steve, and it hadn't turned out to be anything like he'd expected.

Initially, Steve thought that it'd take Bucky a long time to adjust to his company and the way things were now. But if anything, Bucky's relationship with Steve was the thing that came most naturally to him. Sure, in the first few weeks there was tip-toeing around certain subjects and a slight awkwardness in moments of quiet. But it wasn't until one night that Bucky walked past Steve's room and heard the record player softly humming 'You Always Hurt The One You Love' by The Mills Brothers, that things changed.

That evening, he'd slowly pushed on the open door and was hit with the sight of Steve sitting up on his bed, staring at an old pocket watch in his hand. Somehow, some memory nagging at the back of his mind told Bucky that even though he couldn't see it, there was a photo of a red-lipped brunette christened onto the topside of the watch. And for some reason, Bucky got the feeling that Steve had burned a hole with his gaze through the accessory more times than he could imagine.

Hearing his friend slowly come in, Steve looked up and shot a small smile his way. Rather than say anything, Steve closed the watch and put it back into his bedside drawer before moving further up on the bed in a silent invitation. Bucky stood warily in front of the bed for a moment before sitting down at the foot of it and staring at the record player. His appearance had improved immensely with a clean shave and brighter skin, but there was a tiredness behind his eyes that just didn't seem natural for someone that had, in actuality, on lived for 30 years.

 _You always break the kindest heart_

 _With a hasty word you can't recall, so_

 _If I broke your heart last night_

 _It's because I love you most of all_

Bucky knew exactly where he'd heard those words before. It hadn't been in Brooklyn; hell, it hadn't even been in America. He'd been posted in Azzano with the 107th battalion for 5 gruelling, merciless months. For everyone else, it was the closest thing to Hell on Earth. But for Bucky…well, he was dreading the day that he had to leave. And it was all because of her. _Her…_

As the castaway memory resurfaced, Bucky wet his lips and spoke softly. "Our battalion was supposed to be stationed at Tonfana."

Steve looked up at his friend, whose eyes were fixed blankly on the tree which swayed beyond the bedroom window. He continued, "But we got orders at the last minute to reroute to Azzano. The locals there…half of them were too poor and had no place else to go, so…they stayed and took care of the troops."

At this point, Steve wasn't sure what to be more shocked about; the fact that Bucky recalled a memory that had been buried so far deep into his subconscious, or that after 70 years of thinking that he was dead, he got to sit and listen to another story told by his best friend.

Bucky cleared his throat. "They only had 3 record players in town." He laughed as he remembered the next part. "Dugan would always try to get Mario to play "Sweet Honey Hole", but Mario'd go crazy and tell him that Jesus wouldn't approve of that sorta Devil's music."

Steve let out a laugh recalling that _particular_ '30s hit song. "Well, Blind Boy Fuller sure had a way with words."

Bucky looked up at Steve and his expression softened. "I remember her, Steve. She's the first person I remembered after you." Bucky's eyes became downcast as he tried desperately to latch onto the memory that he had recovered only days earlier. "She loved this song so much. She could barely speak any English but the second you put on The Mills Brothers, she'd turn into Billie Holiday just like that."

Knowing exactly who Bucky was referring to, Steve condoled, "I wish I got to meet her. You talked about her a lot when we were with the Commandoes." Steve chose his next words carefully. "I'm sorry you lost her, Buck." He swallowed. "I wish I could've come to Azzano before…before everything. I could've kept you from getting captured, could've stopped HYDRA from raiding the town."

Bucky clicked his tongue and shook his head as if he'd never heard a more absurd thing in his life. "Don't go there, Steve. You know better." Bucky's skyish blue eyes shone with longing as the face of a woman with ebony hair and lips that broke the holiest of resolves came before his heart and mind.

"We had so many plans. I told her…I told her that I'd bring her and her family back to New York after the war. I even told her dad that I wanted to marry her. He couldn't stand the thought of a Yank marrying his Carmella at first, but…I guess I grew on him."

Bucky closed his eyes tightly, finding no solace in the breath that he took. "She was the one person I had to protect, the only one I had to keep safe from them and…" _Exhale._ "HYDRA was fucking up my life way before I fell off that train."

Mouth now rendered useless in conjuring a response, Steve extended an arm and clasped Bucky's shoulder. A few moments went by before Bucky turned solemnly to his friend, eyes swimming with unspoken words and a lifetime's trove of laments. But really, what could be said?

"I know it doesn't seem like much right now, Buck, but…we're exactly where we're supposed to be."

Bucky lowered his gaze and leaned into his friend's clutch. They weren't exactly the words he wanted to hear. In a way, all he really hoped for was that Steve would tell him how his sins were unforgivable, how he didn't want his purity to be plagued by the Soldier's transgressions. In his mind, Bucky wanted to be dealt a blow so brutal by the one person that he had left, just so that he could silence some of the voices in his head. But Steve was not so kind, and somewhere in a hidden crevice of Bucky's heart, he was grateful that the man he'd long ago deemed his little brother hadn't forsaken him.

Bucky was pulled out of his recollection of that night when he finally registered that Steve had been calling his name. Looking up to see Steve waving a weary hand in front of his face, Bucky softly shook his head as if to clear his blurred vision and questioned, "What?"

"You think you're good to head out someplace? We won't do it if you don't feel ready."

Bucky considered the thought for a moment. Well, he'd certainly done an okay job at staying out of trouble in the month he spent alone after the attacks, but…this was different. If he screwed up this time, he'd have people that he'd be disappointing, expectations that he'd be shattering. Looking over to see Sam and Nat's cautiously hopeful expressions, Bucky focused on his joined hands and pressed down on a metallic plate. Things would never be the same anyway, not when his identity consisted of a Soviet limb and a ledger redder than crimson. He figured, with no small amount of reluctance, that he may as well start living this reincarnation, whatever it may hold.

"I'm in."

Steve's face lit up in a subdued smile. "Alright, then. Where's a place we could go?"

Nat suggested, "Well, there's that Chinese place off of 7th if we're going downtown. Oh, or Montezuma's on Pennsylvania Avenue?"

Mulling over the not-so appealing options, Steve was about to voice an idea _right_ before Sam beat him to the punch.

"I don't know about y'all, but I could sure go for some Italian."

Steve's mouth upturned into a smirk as he replied, "Yeah, me too."

* * *

" _What?_ Okay, wait. I'm gonna need you to repeat that at least 4 more times before I understand what you're saying," Mia borderline shouted into the receiver.

"I was _saying,_ that it'd be great if you could ask Nora to reserve the patio for us tonight. I know it's last minute, but Cap had a feeling that she wouldn't mind too much," said Sam smugly.

"So, when you say 'a few people are coming', you really mean that Captain America, Black Widow and The Falcon are gonna be dining at our humble, home-grown restaurant?"

Having gotten used to the presence of said heroes, Sam had forgotten that Mia was still _not at all_ acclimated to their existence. "That's exactly what I'm saying, kid."

Smiling into the phone, Mia replied, "Okay, so, dinner for 3 out on the private patio at 7:00?"

"Actually, it's dinner for 4. We've got a friend of ours comin' in as well," added Sam.

"Oh, does he make a living off of killing people as well?"

… _*Sam sweats profusely*…_

"Ha, yeah, somethin' like that."

Mia laughed. "Y'know, you should be thankful that I even came into work tonight. I have my final exam tomorrow and I was thinking about ditching my shift so I could study. Lucky I had a last minute…change of heart."

"Did this 'last minute change of heart' having anything to do with the fact that you get free Italian food every time you come into work?"

Mia broke into a squinty smile. "You know me too well, Wilson." Tapping away at the computer to reserve the area, Mia finished off with, "Alright Sammy, we'll get that set up for you guys. I'll see you at 7:00."

Hanging up the phone a little harder than she needed to, Mia took in a deep breath and tried to compose herself as she thought about what was going to happen come 7:00. Not only were there going to be 3 national heroes within a 10 metre radius of her, but she was _finally_ going to meet Black Widow, and that was an occasion all on its own.

Wiping her hands on her apron, Mia set out to find Nora and tell her the good news. If anyone was happier than Mia that Cap was gonna be coming around, it was Nora.

Going out onto the patio, Mia spotted the Italian munchkin in question and stood at the doorway to quietly observe. Since Nora and Piero had found out about Sophia's engagement, they had pulled out all the stops in preparation for the event. Most of the decorations and hired ornaments had finally arrived, and Nora was currently busy at work fixing up the oil lanterns where they hung.

"Need any help there?" simpered Mia.

Nora looked back from where she was standing on her little stepladder and gave Mia a little smile. "Don't make fun of the short people, just because your parents were kind and made you tall."

Letting out a little laugh, Mia walked towards Nora and replied, "Oh please, Nora, being 5'9 is not all it's cracked up to be. Constant back pain, your head always hits the ceiling, aeroplanes fly into your headspace, the clouds blur your vision."

A nudge to the ribs from Nora was all it took for Mia to exaggeratedly fall to the ground and grasp her stomach, wailing like a baby calf.

Laughing despite herself, Nora began chiding Mia in Italian. " _Sempre una tale regina del dramma, alzarsi Mia."_

Now slightly out of breath from her performance, Mia said, "Okay, can you please repeat that slowly…and preferably in English?"

"I _said_ that you are always such a drama queen. _Regina del drama_. Remember it, you'll be hearing it a lot."

Feigning insult, Mia replied, "And to think, I titled you as my grandmother in my emergency contacts form. Is _this_ how you treat family, Nora?"

Now holding two hands out in front of her, Nora looked to the ceiling and began, " _Ay dios,_ give patience to whichever poor boy falls for this child. He will need it, my Lord."

Now looking up at the ceiling herself, Mia exclaimed, "And while you're accepting prayers, could You please make me place first at the tournament in 2 weeks? God, I can't afford to come second to Jaco's, they don't need any more bragging rights than they already have."

"Jaco? What is a Jaco?" asked a confused Nora.

"They're not a _what_ , they're a _who._ The Jaco Hybrid Centre is the best Muay Thai club in the country. Not gonna lie, I was thinking of transferring to Florida _just_ to get trained by their Head Coach, Henri Hooft. God, their fighters are amazing, but everyone at Sal's hates them, _obviously._ "

Letting out a _tsk_ and a dismissive wave of the hand, Nora said, "I don't like all this fight-fight, but even then, I know you will win, Mia. Have faith. Just don't get hurt too bad, I don't like when you come in here with all bruises."

Smiling at the thought of Nora's concern, Mia slung an arm over her shoulder. "Don't you worry about all that Nora. Oh! What I _actually_ came to tell you was that there's a special guest coming in tonight."

Nora looked up quizzically. "George Clooney?"

"…What? No…" Mia shook her head. "Captain America and Co.!"

Bringing both her hands to the side of her face, Nora exclaimed, " _Ay, Captain Steve!"_

"Yes! He asked if we could reserve the patio for 7:00. I think they wanted to have some privacy y'know, otherwise all it takes is one hormone-crazed teenage girl with a phone to bring half of D.C.'s population in here."

"No problem, no problem. Well, then help me get the tablecloths and the fire set up, Mia."

Now fully in work mode, Mia set out to get all the odds and ends done before the arrival of their guests. While Piero manned the front counter, Mia mopped the floor of the patio and wiped down the large table that sat in the middle of it. The patio in itself was probably Mia's favourite part of the restaurant. Situated right at the back of the shop, it really was the ideal place for privacy and functions. The doorway was welcomed with two large columns which lead out to a glorious Italian pergola.

Having laid out the freshly ironed red tablecloth and set up 4 sets of cutlery, Mia felt accomplished enough to go about doing _one last thing_ before the customers arrived; fixing her appearance.

Thanking the Lord that she packed her liquid eyeliner and lip-stain before she left home, Mia went into the bathroom and initiated Mission: Do Not Look Homeless In Front Of Natasha Romanoff. She stood in front of the mirror and eyed herself briefly. Her hair had been up in a haphazard ponytail throughout the day, but it had a nice wave to it after being shampooed and air-dried the night before. Deciding to take advantage of her 'clean hair' situation, Mia pulled it out of the hair tie and began fiddling away. She grabbed a generous piece of hair from either side of her face and tied it loosely at the back of her head, sporting a nice half up-do. Pulling out the some wisps near her ears to make the look a bit more casual, she fussed about a little more before she was relatively satisfied.

The next hour went by in a haze with quite a few people coming in for their fix of mouth-watering Italian food. By the time the clock struck 6:58, Mia was so caught up in cleaning tables and serving customers that she almost forgot that some very important people were due to arrive at any minute.

"Would you like a bag for that, sir?"

The suited businessman waved dismissively and reached for his wallet instead. He looked over Mia once and asked with a smooth voice and a crooked smile, "How much do I owe ya, hun?"

Gritting her teeth because she got the feeling he was one of _those_ customers, Mia replied tersely, "That's just $20.95 today, sir."

The man, probably in his early 40's, dragged a hand through his hair before taking out $30 to hand over to Mia. "Keep the tip, and there's plenty more where that came from if you'd like, sweetheart."

Looking up slowly, Mia deadpanned, "…That's okay, sir. I don't work on tips."

Mia put his persistence down to a lack of brain cells, because this guy didn't get the point. "Nah, really it's fine. I imagine girls like you have it pretty tough. You're probably in school right now, I'm just tryna' help out, is all." The man attempted a charming smile but something about the look on his face repulsed Mia to the core.

To her silence, the man proceeded to take out a _$50_ bill and discretely slid it over on the counter. "If you want, I could come see you after your shift here, we could talk a little, whadya' say?"

 _He just had to take it there, didn't he?_

Thanking the fact that she knew her employers wouldn't object to the behaviour she was about to exhibit, Mia squared her shoulders and slid the $50 smoothly back to the douche in question.

"I'm sorry sir, but if we did that then I'm pretty sure my husband would light your genitals on fire."

Mouth now slightly agape, the man stared at Mia having _clearly_ not expected that reply. "Uh, wh—"

"If that'll be all sir, we have other customers waiting."

The man grabbed his take away boxes and looked behind him to see no other customers in the empty store. Scoffing a little bit, he set off to head out to the store just as Mia began murmuring under her breath about stupid suits and creepy, old white dudes. In her frustration, Mia didn't register that as the man exited, 4 new faces entered the store. She was ducked down beneath the counter getting a new roll for the receipts when she heard a familiar voice.

"It figures, the one time we come out to get authentic Italian food and the only person workin' here ain't even Italian," said Sam with that ever-present smile on his face.

Mia shot up from behind the counter and smiled widely as he headed her way. "Yeah, well all the owner's grandkids quit when they realised that getting paid $10 an hour for labour isn't strictly legal. But I, on the other hand, ama little desperate." She punctuated the end of the sentence with an over-the-counter hug with a guy she'd grown unexpectedly close to since their first encounter at the workshop.

"How you been, Mia?" asked Sam with one hand hovering at her elbow.

"I've been good, Sammy. Even better now, to be honest," said Mia as she finally sneaked a glance at the other three occupants in the room.

Steve was standing beside an unknown man whose gaze was glued to the floor and had a stature to match the Captain's, with both of them donning baseball hats and sunglasses.

…Even though the sun had set 2 hours ago…

"Mia, you know Steve, and that's…James, our associate."

Smiling so widely that she was afraid an eye might fall out, Mia waved slightly and nervously said, "Hiya, Cap and James."

Steve walked closer and touched the brim of his hat before taking off his glasses. "It's good to see you, Mia."

"I'm thinkin' I must have _seriously_ scared you off the last time you came in here because you haven't been back in about 3 months," said Mia with a teasing smile set firmly on her lips.

Steve returned the smile but looked down as he replied, "Well, we had a bit of business to attend to."

 _Shit, of course. He was saving the population of D.C., you coconut. Pull it together, Mia_.

"Oh God, yeah, that was…that was horrible. I'm glad you guys made it out okay."

Steve nodded in thanks and said, "Yeah, so are we." Looking back to the only unintroduced member of the quartet, Steve put on a lopsided smile before adding, "Mia, I'd like to formally introduce you to Natasha Romanoff. You might've heard of her, I'm not too sure."

Natasha stepped up to the counter and sent a confident little smile Mia's way while extending her hand. "Wilson's told us a lot about you. I hear you're quite the budding martial artist. You'll have to come to training some time, see what all the hype is about."

Mia was 99% sure that she'd been sent into a drug-induced dream like they'd shown in Inception, but in the off chance that this was in fact reality, she decided it would be best to formulate a reply. "Oh God, I don't know what you've heard but it's hardly anything to call home about." Realising that she should probably stop shaking her hand at this point, Mia released the death grip she had on Nat and retightened the string on her waist apron, nervously adding, "But, getting to see you guys train would be...yeah, out of this world."

Nat let out a soft laugh. "No, I meant train _with_ us."

Mia unashamedly let her mouth hang open as she stared at the red headed beauty in front of her. She was surrounded in a room filled with 3 men, and all she could stare at was a fellow ladyling.

 _Go figure_.

"I...uh...that's...yeah, no I'd...yes."

"Okay, I'm gonna stop you there before you have a seizure. You reckon we could head out to the table, just in case anymore customers come in?" hinted Sam.

Now firmly pulled out of her reverie, Mia replied with an astute, "Oh! Yes, of course, follow me guys. Nora and Piero are restocking the wine cellar downstairs but they'll be up soon." Mia led the 4 guests through the flowered archway and opened the doors to the patio.

Walking ahead of the group, Mia pointed at the table she'd set up earlier and smiled, "I'll give you guys some time to pick out what you want. Let me know if it gets too chilly out here and I'll pop the outdoor heater on."

With Mia gone, the group stared dumbly at each other before shrugging and taking a seat under the oil lamps, backdropped by the starry night sky. Nat was the first to break the silence.

"When you said a 'home-grown' restaurant, I was expecting something a little less fancy than this, Steve."

Steve took a moment to admire the revamped state of the patio before he answered. "They must've just done some renovations, it wasn't like this before."

Nat picked up a menu and absently flicked through it before she shot a glance at Steve and Bucky respectively. "You realise that it's safe to take your camouflage gear off now. And Jesus, Barnes, what's with the glasses? This isn't 'Top Gun'."

Bucky's expression grew slightly confused at the reference which earned him a roll of the eyes from Nat, who proceeded to peruse the menu. "All I'm saying is that a couple of old Italian folks and one young girl aren't gonna recognise you. The media barely caught any footage of you from the helicarriers as it is."

Filled with hesitancy, Bucky took off the offending accessories and set them onto the table next to him. Steve followed suit and took off his hat, ruffling it a bit to rid it of its flatness. Sam had been completely deaf during the conversation as he was currently salivating over the photos of lasagne and pizza that assaulted his vision in the menu. "Sweet Lord, I hope this place tastes as good as it looks, goddamn!"

"Okay, I'm _definitely_ getting that spinach risotto," voiced Nat.

"I'm goin' with the pepperoni pizza, can't go wrong with that," proclaimed Sam.

"Buck, you see anything you like?" asked Steve.

Bucky looked over the menu a few times before deciding to stick with the one thing that stood out from the others, the thing that seemed to be evoking a memory somewhere. "Yeah, I got something."

As if on cue, Mia came waltzing into the room – probably trying a _little_ too hard to seem casual – with her notepad and pen in hand, and a smile plastered on her face. She swiped a lock of hair back and looked to the table of customers before her. Nat and Sam were studying the wine list and Steve was rearranging the hats in a way that kept them from taking up too much space. When she looked to the silent member of the group, _James_ , he was partially hidden by the menu but his eyes were fixed on a particular portion of the page, unmoving.

 _Seriously, what is the deal with this guy? He's probably on one of those Witness Protection Program lists, that's why they needed three superheroes to keep guard of him. Oh, he's probably like Leo Getz from 'Lethal Weapon'. God, those movies were so good. But the fourth one was a bit—_

"Okay Mia, I think I'll grab the biggest pepperoni pizza you got in this place," said Sam.

"No worries, and Cap?"

"Uh, I'll just grab the lasagne and a soda, thanks."

Quickly writing down the order, Mia then turned to Nat and scribbled her choice of food and drink down before looking up to the fourth member of the quartet.

"And for you, James?"

James _finally_ came into full view of Mia, as he removed the menu from in front of his face and revealed a long haired, slightly bearded man. "I'll get a—"

'James' looked up at Mia for the first time that night and had his order right there on the tip of his tongue, when everything stopped. Mia's previously glazed eyes now grew to a comical size as her lips parted slightly.

And in an instant, she couldn't breathe.

 _This can't be real_.

She kept repeating those words in her head like a mantra, as if they would somehow dispel the reality she had found herself in. As if on instinct, she glanced down to take note of his hands _._

 _Surely there couldn't be metal there._

But she never got the chance to look, because they were both covered by dark brown leather gloves.

 _This can't be real._

But how could she forget those eyes? Even when a mask had been obscuring half his face and the night sky had hidden most of his features, those eyes had been the last things that Mia thought she'd ever see. Cold and matte and unnervingly blue. They looked a little different now, a little more brightness in them, but then there was his voice. He'd said something, in a language unknown to her that night, just after she'd been dealt the final blow.

 _This can't be real._

There was no mistaking it, but she just didn't want to believe it.

"You".

* * *

 _Costruttore –_ Builder

 _Tesoro –_ Sweetheart

 _Dio, come faremo a ottenere tutto –_ How will we get it all done

 _Ti amo, tesoro –_ I love you, sweetheart

 _Madha –_ What?

 _Khaala –_ Aunty

 _Khaalu –_ Uncle

 _Sempre una tale regina del drama, alzarsi Mia –_ Always such a drama queen, stand up Mia


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes: Hallllooooooo guys! I know this is kinda, sorta, maybe, possibly a litttttttle late but I wanted to say it now anyways. While I've always wanted this story to be primarily a Bucky/OC fic, there were some things that I wanted to be a little different about it. That's the reason why one of the main themes in this story is the affliction of war, particularly with regards to the people of Syria. There's mention of war throughout the story and I really will try to put out trigger warnings at the start of chapters where it'll be written about in-depth. This is by no means a political statement or my way of starting a revolution :') I just wanted to put a perspective out there that showcased a population that's been largely neglected by our world. There are kind, innocent people suffering on every land, and I hope that through the characters in this story we can get just a little bit more insight as to some of the things that they go through on a daily basis. With so much negativity being thrown around in some of our countries, it's important to remember that at the end of the day we're all a bunch of bones with a beating heart keeping us going. I'm sorry for the long az note, but I really felt like I needed to say it for my own sake. Thanks a million! I'd love to hear what you guys have to say about the story so far :') Much love,**

 **\- M**

 _ **Edited Chapter**_

Chapter 4

During the time that Bucky had been staying with Steve in his new apartment, it had become a normal part of his day to regain memories from various periods in his life. There was nothing systematic about the process. About 3 weeks after the fall of the Triskelion, he'd realised that the recollection of memories came mostly from certain triggers around him, and that had increased by tenfold since he'd been in Steve's presence.

One afternoon early on in his stay, Bucky had been sitting at Steve's dining table with a glass of water in his hand. The sun streaming in from an adjacent window had reflected the glass' brim, and had momentarily shone a blinding yellow light across Bucky's vision. For some reason or another, that occurrence led to a brief, almost insignificant memory prodding at Bucky's brain, which showed a young Steve sitting on a fire escape at dusk with a glass of whiskey dangling from his drunken hand. Strangely, Bucky got the distinct feeling that it was a memory from the first time Steve had ever had alcohol.

Similarly, Sam had visited Steve's house one day and was surfing the television channels while Bucky lingered in the adjoined kitchen. It was as Sam was flicking absently through the programs that he went past the Classical Music channel. Although it was fleeting, Bucky caught a few notes of a song he'd heard long ago that managed to open the floodgates to a barrage of tattered moments. It had been a piece of Tchaikovsky's, but Bucky didn't know that. All he knew was that the 7 notes played from the piano took him back to a dark, metal cell that reeked of mould and a leaking pipe.

He remembered that song. _God,_ he remembered that song all too well. The guards had played it on their shifts during his time with the Soviets in the 50's; or was it the 60's? With the song came a vision of blood-curdling screams, punctuated by the beats of each keystroke. Bucky had promptly fallen to the ground with the _sheer pain_ that seemed to coincide with some rediscovered memories, and he knew then that this was something he'd have to live with for the rest of this second chance at life.

When Bucky had walked into Vito's Coffehouse that evening, he'd done so with a single goal in mind: refrain from being recognised or apprehended by _anyone_. For some reason, he's expected there to be _many_ more people in the store than there currently were. When he'd stepped foot over the threshold, he took a moment to appraise the interior of the place; 2 visible exits, 1 internal storage unit, 3 electricity sources and an external outlet for piping.

In his mission to remain unidentified, he didn't spare more than a glance in the general direction of the woman who would apparently be their server for the evening. In fact, he was trying so blatantly hard to disregard her existence that he pulled up the collar of his oversized, khaki green jacket and kept his sunglassed vision fastened to the floor. He sparingly took note of the foreign nature of her accent when she directed the 4 of them through to where Bucky assumed they would be dining.

It was only as she left that Bucky began to feel a semblance of worry lift from his shoulders, but had it not been for Natasha and her annoyingly apt observations, he'd have hidden behind the sunnies and the hat the entire night. He'd remained somewhat cautious as the waitress returned to the patio to take their orders, and he showed as much by hovering discretely behind the menu she'd provided.

When the girl he knew to be named 'Mia' asked him for his choice of order, Bucky shifted the menu from his face and tilted his head to answer in reply. The moment a few words dropped from lips, he saw the visible change in colour on the waitress' face. Taking in her features for the first time that night, Bucky beheld a girl who obviously hailed from the Mediterranean or Middle Eastern part of the world, with large brown eyes and flowing brown hair. She seemed to be growing visibly sicker as the moment lingered on, and Bucky couldn't for the life of him understand why. With his own breathing now threateningly uncontrolled, Bucky's eyes shifted between Steve and Mia before he heard a single syllable uttered from her lips.

"You."

It was at the same time that she spoke that his eyes fell to a scar that interrupted the smooth skin along her right temple. That scar; why did it seem familiar?

And that, as he would soon realise, was the trigger.

With an unprecedented level of pain rushing to the back of Bucky's head, his vision was blurred by involuntary tears as a memory defiled his senses. The flashes were brief, but he saw enough to identify the woman in front of him. He'd been on a retrieval mission, somewhere in the heart of D.C., and she'd stumbled upon him. He remembered her trying to fight back against his strikes. He remembered her clutching a dagger, Japanese made, to her person as if it was a lifeline as he took in her features. And that scar; he remembered focusing on it underneath the brightly-lit lamppost, just before he struck her unconscious.

He knew this girl; but more notably, he'd _spared_ this girl.

"Mia, you okay?" asked Sam in a firm voice.

Bucky was staring at Mia with his mouth agape and his brows furrowed in a disoriented manner. Mia simply looked dumbly at the person she'd almost been killed by; but no one else knew that.

"I…I…you—You were there. You tried to…to ki—Why are you here? Sam, he—he tried to kill me," said Mia, with her voice cracking at the end.

Steve was the one to question her now. "Mia, what are you talking about?"

Mia looked helplessly at Steve. "Steve, you have to believe me, this guy is dangerous. He—He has an arm that's made of…I don't even know and—He tried to steal my car and—He almost killed me…I swear, I'm telling the truth!" Mia began breathing quicker as she looked to each person, _hoping_ that they would see truth in what she was saying.

Now looking at Bucky warily, Steve stood up and held his hands out in Mia's direction. "Mia, listen. I need you to calm down. We're all here, no one's gonna hurt you, just…just take a breath."

Bucky was still staring at Mia as though he couldn't bear to tear his eyes away. She had such fear entwined with her features, it was almost as if every dread of Bucky's was materialising in front of him. For the first time in what seemed like forever, he had believed that he could blend in with the world without his sins revisiting him.

My, _oh my_ , how wrong he'd been.

Mia was looking at Steve somewhat desperately, as if he wasn't listening to her or heeding her warning. She was about to continue when she realised something.

 _The man with the metal arm…he was the one that fought Steve on the helicarrier. God Mia, how could you be so stupid?_

Looking to Steve, Mia said softly, "You…you already know that, don't you?"

Steve looked almost guilty when he replied, "Mia, he's not who you think he is. I don't know what happened, but he's not dangerous, I promise you." Nat remained silent as she eyed Mia with obvious caution, and a hint of sympathy.

Sam stood up and touch Mia's elbow, as a gesture to centre her anxiety. "Mia, how about we go outside for a bit. C'mon, it's all good, M."

Mia looked at Sam with tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She nodded slightly before following him out into the alleyway that stood behind the exit of the patio.

Now fully exposed to the night's chilly air, Mia hugged herself and shivered for more reasons than one. She had so many questions; _God_ she had so many questions. But there was one that she had to know first.

"You do believe me, don't you? Sam, I'm not…I swear, I'm not going crazy. I know what I saw."

Sam looked up at her. "Everybody in there believes you, Mia." He looked down a moment before posing his next question. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Mia rested the back of her head on the brick of the alleyway and tried to relive the events of that night. She closed her eyes briefly before beginning her recollection.

"It was the night I met you. I was walking to my car after I left the workshop and…I saw him." She swallowed, "He was trying to hotwire the Camaro but it wasn't working. I hid behind a dumpster, but he saw me anyway. He…"

 _Breathe._

"He walked over and…I pulled my knife, got a few hits in. I thought he was just some punk trying to jack a car for his collection but…but he was _so strong._ His face was masked and he had that arm. I—I thought…I thought he was gonna kill me, Sammy."

Mia looked up with teary eyes at her friend under the dim lighting of the alley and saw nothing but understanding on his face. Wiping at her nose, she added, "He knocked me out, didn't do too much damage but…I just can't believe you guys know him."

Mia was hoping that Sam would _somehow_ be able to explain this bizarre situation. Feeling the initial shock subsiding from her system, her mind gave way to something much more insistent; pure curiosity.

"Sam, I know it might be classified and…I'm just a regular Joe but…it'd honestly ease my mind to know."

Sam looked at her as though his thoughts were waging a war among themselves. Exhaling deeply, his face took on an 'I know I'm gonna regret this later, but fuck it' expression before he spoke.

"I know you're not from the States, so you probably don't know too much about Steve's past. In history class, every kid here gets taught about Bucky Barnes. He fought with Cap against HYDRA back in the 40's, and everyone knows that the two of 'em were brothers in every way but blood."

Sam seemed to consider his words before he spoke them next. "Barnes was presumed killed when he fell from a train during a mission, and Steve got iced soon after that. It wasn't…It wasn't til SHIELD was compromised that Steve found out he'd been alive for the past 70 years under HYDRA's control. They…they did a real number on him, Mia. Wiped his memories, programmed him, fucked him up so bad that he couldn't remember his own name." Sam pointed a finger towards the restaurant and said, "The man inside there is James Buchanan Barnes."

Even though Mia had been expecting as much, it slightly took the wind out of her to actually hear those words. "Believe me, I wasn't his biggest fan when we started out either but…you can't blame him for what he did. If you knew, Mia you'd know that he's a victim of war, just the same as us. He's not the Winter Soldier. He's Steve's friend and…we trust him."

This was not at _all_ what Mia had expected to hear.

A phrase kept churning in Mia's mind. _Victim of war_. Those words meant something to her; in fact, the moment Sam had said them, Mia had felt most of the anger dissipate from her core. To her, a victim of war could've been anyone; someone who'd lost their family on a battlefield, someone who'd left a part of themselves in a foreign land. She'd known boys aged as young as 7, who'd had entire villages decimated and were left unaccounted for. Then one day, powerful and _terrible_ people would adopt them into a new life with the promise of prosperity, a life imbued with inhumanity and an AK-47. From then on, they would be slaves to an existence they had no choice in embracing, and some nagging thought in the back of Mia's mind told her that Cap's friend might not have been so different.

Mia was staring at Sam intently as she soaked in what he was saying. The thing about Sam was that when spoke, he did so with such sincerity and conviction that it was hard to see things any other way. He'd known loss and turmoil and if he was willing to defend this guy _even after_ knowing that he'd attacked Mia…then there must've been a damn good reason.

Mia let out a sigh as she pushed herself off of the brick wall. "You sure he's not gonna try and rupture my kidneys if I go back in there?" she asked with the hint of a smile gracing her lips. Humour was the one defence mechanism that Mia had always known, and she found that in most situations, it was the best one to go for.

Sam smiled before saying, "I think you should be fine. That is, if he hasn't made a run for it already. I don't even know if he remembers you."

Snickering at that, Mia said, "Well, I'm hurt that it wasn't as memorable for him as it was for me."

Sam nudged her shoulder and said in a serious tone, "You know we'd never let you get hurt. And I'm sorta pissed off that you didn't tell me earlier about this. You even asked me about him a while back."

Mia shrugged. "I didn't think it was all that important. And besides, what would I have said? 'Hey Sam, just wanted to inform you that I got my ass handed to me by Tin Man's little brother. He also unsuccessfully tried to steal Abu from me, and now I'm pretty sure my mental state's even more fucked up than it was before'. I _love_ how that conversation would've gone down."

Sam rolled his eyes before muttering, "Still can't believe you named your car after a cartoon monkey."

Sam opened the door that led back to the restaurant, and beheld a _very_ unexpected sight before him. Under the luminous fairy lights, there was an old Italian woman standing beside Steve with her hand on his shoulder and a boisterous laugh befalling her lips. Beside her, a similarly old man was absent-mindedly stroking the scruff on his face as he stood behind Bucky with a hand resting on the back of his chair. Natasha seemed to be pleasantly conversing with the man as Bucky looked mildly uncomfortable while he stared down at the neatly folded napkin in front of him.

The bright smile on Nora's face accentuated the fine lines riddled across her skin, and Mia took a moment to remember her just as she was; unfalteringly happy. And after all she'd been through, Mia knew that seeing Nora this happy wasn't a blessing she took for granted. She decided she'd be damned if she let her sour mood vanquish that smile.

Upon hearing the door open, all eyes focused on Mia and Sam as they entered.

" _Ay Mia,_ are you okay? Captain Steve said you weren't _a_ -feeling too well."

Mia kept her eyes glued to Nora as she fixed a smile on her face. "No, no, I'm fine Nora, just felt a little dizzy is all."

Nora plastered a knowing look on her face as she said to Steve conspiratorially, "She was so excited to meet you all today. Especially you, Miss Natasha. She kept on talking about the fancy fighting and—"

"How about I go get the orders started? I think I've made everyone wait long enough," said Mia as she quickly tried to control her burning cheeks at the thought of what Nora was about to divulge to the guests. She picked up the notepad from the table she'd left it on and was about to leave the patio when she remembered that she hadn't taken James' order because…well, because he turned out to be her long-lost car thief.

Mia awkwardly turned towards the table before shifting her eyes to the general direction that James was sitting in. She cleared her throat before asking in a soft voice, "Uh…I didn't get your order so…what would you like to have?"

Steve and Sam looked at Mia with unhidden shock while Nat cocked her head in the same direction. Nora and Piero were rightfully unaffected by the situation and proceeded to collect the menus from everyone before heading back into the main part of the restaurant. The main source of surprise was written on Bucky's face, who was staring at Mia as though she'd requested Korea's nuclear codes. After a few moments of painfully awkward silence, Mia chanced a look at him and found a mix of shock, apprehension and plain confusion written into his expression.

Steve cleared his throat (and may or may not have kicked Bucky under the table), which seemed to pull him from his trance. Blinking a few times, he licked his lips and looked to his cutlery before replying in an unexpectedly timid voice, "Just…just the spaghetti."

Mia nodded to herself and all but ran out of the patio, back into the safety of the restaurant. With the coast now clear, Bucky lent his head onto the back of the chair before exhaling a breath he'd probably been holding since he recognised Mia.

Steve looked to Bucky almost immediately. "Buck, what the hell was that? Do you…do you know her?"

Bucky simply brought his fingers to the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.

 _This is not how this fucking night was supposed to go._

"He knocked her out when she found him tryna steal her car a while back," said Sam as he fiddled with his fork.

Steve's face fell in an instant. "What did you tell her?"

Sam shrugged. "The truth. Told her that he's a WWII vet, got captured by HYDRA and spent the last 70 years as their puppet."

Bucky's head cocked up at Sam's words. "You shouldn't have told her. She's never gonna understand," said Bucky with a frosty edge to his voice.

Upon hearing that, Sam stilled his fidgeting and leaned in closer to the table, staring Bucky down in a way that few people had the courage to. "That girl plans on spending her life in service of people ruined by war. Believe me, Barnes, if there's anyone that understands, it's her."

Nat was watching the entire scene unfold in front of her with a steadily growing interest regarding the waitress she knew so little about. Sam had spoken highly of Mia on more than one occasion, but he'd never hashed out the details. Hearing what he had to say about her now, that she was someone Sam trusted with information that not even the Avengers were privy to, Nat got the distinct feeling that there was more to her story than she initially suspected. And _that_ confirmed the instinct that had been brewing in her mind since she'd met the young woman.

"I think Sam's right. As far as we know, she didn't even go to the police when the whole car incident happened. She hasn't given us a reason not to trust her, and I've got a feeling she's not the sort who'd take kindly to our speculation."

Bucky was balancing in a perpetual state of unrest. Everything about this situation made him uncomfortable. There was someone that _he didn't even know_ , someone that he had _attacked_ who was now aware of his identity, of his whereabouts. No matter how much Bucky tried to extinguish the thought, there was just one word that returned to mind; liability. If she decided to take the story to the media, or if she was approached by what remained of HYDRA's agents, what was to stop her from divulging all that she had just heard? What incentive did she have to keep from sabotaging it all, from taking away Bucky's second chance at life?

Bucky shut his eyes and willed the weight of the world to be unburdened from his shoulders. He looked at the people in his company and felt a wave of tiredness overcome him. When would this end? How much longer would he be a slave to his past? Would there ever be a chance—

"Pepperoni pizza for Mr Sam is here!" exclaimed Piero as he hovered the delectably hot meal in his hand. Approaching the table at quite a quick pace for a man in his 70's, Piero placed the pizza in front of Sam and pulled the bottle of red wine from his left. He sent a smile to all the patrons at the table and poured Sam's glass while saying, "Mia said you liked extra oregano on your pizza, Mr Sam."

Sam inhaled the glorious smell being exuded from his meal before saying, "That girl's barely been around me half a year and she knows me better than my own sister does."

Next to walk onto the patio was Mia with Steve and Nat's dishes. "I got one extra saucy lasagne for the Captain, and the choice of risotto for _Miss Natasha,_ " said Mia with a soft smile as she looked at Piero. She placed the plates down on the table and though her movements were visibly stiffer and slightly more mechanical than they had been at the beginning of the night, she was making an effort to subdue the thoughts racing through her brain at a mile per minute.

Nora came into view as she held a large bowl of steaming spaghetti in her tea towel-clad hand. "Mr James, _spaghetti e Polpette_ for you."

She placed the food in front of James as he leant back to give her space. His eyes were downcast before he looked her way and spoke a small, "Thank you."

Piero piped up and said, "Please tell us if there is anything else we can bring you, _mi amici._ "

Sam, Steve and Nat sent small murmurs of thanks to the pair as they set off towards the door.

Mia joined them in a bid to clear her mind a little, having to tend to customers at the front counter anyway. She went through the motions of the next half hour without much notice, her thoughts trying their darndest to stay calm and collected. There was a large part of her that wanted to completely disregard the last few hours and choose to believe that it'd all been some sick joke, but the existence of those moments was made all the more real when she was made to go back in there.

"Mia, Mia, leave this food, I will take care of that. Please go see if Captain Steve and his friends are in need of anything else. Let him know that we will prepare the Tiramisu for him as he always likes it," said Nora with a smile and the brush of a hand.

And just like that, Mia's stomach felt awfully uneasy as she wiped her hands on her apron and made her way to the patio.

 _Just tell them the truth. Tell them that you'll keep his secret, that you'll never speak about it to anyone. Yeah, that should work_.

Mia pushed open the two broad doors at the patio's entry and fixed a small (albeit _nervous_ ) smile on her face as she walked towards the table. But it fell almost as soon as it appeared when she noticed that everyone was beginning to stand up from their chairs, and Steve was taking out a number of bills from his wallet.

Nat looked to Mia and smiled softly before saying, "The food was delicious, Mia. Please tell Nora and Piero we send our thanks."

A little dumbstruck as to what to say, Mia went on. "Oh, that's no problem. Aren't you…uh, aren't you guys staying for dessert? Nora said she was about to bring some out for everyone."

Steve shook his head and said with downcast eyes, "Thank you, but, I think it'd be better if we called it a night. It really was lovely, Mia. You guys got somethin' special goin' on here." Steve punctuated the end of the sentence with a smile that looked tired and slightly troubled, and Mia decided that neither one of those qualities suited the Captain very much.

Looking from Sam to Bucky to Steve, Mia hurriedly stuttered out, "Steve I…I want you to know that I won't tell anyone. I didn't mean to cause any trouble, I just…" Mia shook her head and closed her eyes before looking at Steve a little helplessly and saying, "Please, just trust me."

Steve's face fell as he heard her say those words, and in the way she said them. He took one step closer to her and laid a hand on her shoulder before saying, "Believe me, Mia. If anyone of us didn't trust you, we wouldn't still be here."

Mia looked up at the sincerity in his clear blue eyes and nodded her head. He took his hand off her shoulder and began walking slowly towards the alleyway exit of the patio, with Nat following suit. Sam winked at her before sending a small 'thanks' Mia's way, which only left Bucky walking towards the door, now wearing his baseball cap and flexing his gloved fingers. He wasn't looking at Mia, but in the way that he slowed down before he reached for the handle, she got the feeling that he was about to say something.

Mia held her breath in anticipation as she watched him stare holes into the door knob before finally bringing his hand to clasp it. She simply couldn't leave it at that.

"James."

Bucky turned slowly towards Mia with a poorly hidden expression of surprise. She couldn't quite see his features very well due to the dim light streaming in from the open door, but she could make out enough to know that he was listening. "I'm…I'm sorry for what they did to you."

Mia could feel the tears welling up as she recalled what Sam had told her. _Wiped his memories. He couldn't remember his own name._

"No one…no one should have to live through that. I'm sorry that you did."

Bucky lowered his head in what could've been disbelief. Here was a girl who had once been moments away from having her life stolen from her at his hands. What the hell did she have to apologise for?

Bucky trembled slightly as the cool breeze of the alley made its way past him. He retightened his hold on the doorknob before he levelled his gaze with her for the second time that night.

"Bucky," he said softly.

Mia licked an errant tear that had fallen onto her lips. "What?"

Bucky's jaw clenched and slackened before he spoke again.

"My name's Bucky."

* * *

With Mia's university life _finally_ ending, she'd spent the last 2 weeks doing a few things. For starters, she swore at Mel for 5 minutes straight using every curse word she knew because she'd decided that now was the best time to take an impromptu trip to Turkey to be with her aunty. Mel had sprung the news one day while they were out for lunch, and understandably, Mia was heartbroken. They'd planned on doing so many things together during their break, but this changed everything. After Mia said (or swore) her piece, Mel proceeded to tell her the reason behind why she was going, and it ended up making Mia cry (quite literally).

Mel's great-aunty lived in a coastal town in Turkey, and had spent the last 10 years living with dementia. She'd always been the closest aunt that Mel had, and as of two days ago, she'd been told that her live-in carer had a family emergency they had to tend to in Istanbul. Mel being Mel, she booked the earliest flight out to the closest airport from her hometown of Hatay, and told her great-aunt that she would stay for as long as she was needed.

Mel had even told Mia to come with her, and that the entire trip could be somewhat of their last adventure before they graduated and were flung into the real world. As much as Mia wanted to, she knew that it would be hard justifying flying anywhere overseas when she hadn't even been back to Australia in 9 months. And besides, she had a national Muay Thai tournament to train for, and that wouldn't get done on its own.

* * *

"I can't believe you're even considering this, Nat."

Nat rolled her eyes as she stood in the middle of Steve's apartment with Sam seated up on the kitchen bench and the Captain leaning on the sink. "Come on, Rogers. Don't act like it wasn't the first thought that came to your mind as well. I'm just voicing an idea that we were _all_ thinking about."

Sam shook his head and closed his eyes before waving his hands in front of him. "Lemme get this straight; you want a _civilian_ to come with uson a mission that we're not _supposed_ to be having, in a country that we're noteven _allowed_ to enter? You've gotta be fuckin' kidding me."

Nat huffed out a breath. "Look, it's just like Fury said. We have a 2 week window where we can take Al-Nasser down before he makes a deal with the Serbians. If they start this war with Russia, you _know_ what it's gonna mean for the people that get left behind."

Sam said, "Nat, we can't just march into an active warzone and take out a political leader. We're too easy to recognise, and any attack from members of the Avengers is an attack from the United States. There's no way to know how much that's gonna complicate the political situation. It's fucked up enough as it is."

"Sam, this isn't an attack from the Avengers. It's the strategic execution of a corrupt politician who has no qualms about letting 22 million civilians get killed in the process. God knows that country's seen enough bloodshed."

The room fell quiet for a moment as all three super-people struggled with what to say. It was Steve who stood up from the sink and spoke first. "I still don't think you should bring her into this. It's not right, Nat."

"What's not right?" asked Bucky as he walked into the room with a drenched sweatshirt and an empty water bottle being easily crushed by his left hand.

Steve sighed. "Fury called in. He said we got a hit on Al-Nasser, that Syrian senator I told you about. Intel says that he's planning on making a deal with the Serbs to sell Syria's nuclear weapons. If we don't take him out before Russia catches wind of it, then it's not gonna be good for the Syrian people."

Bucky wore that perpetually confused look that he sported so well and asked, "And…?"

Steve looked up and said, "We need a translator. The deal's gonna happen in Aleppo, and the dialect spoken there's different from all the other cities. We'll need a native if we plan on following through with this." Steve eyed Bucky warily before saying, "Nat wants to bring Mia on the mission."

All eyes fell on Bucky and awaited his reaction. To his credit, his face remained almost indifferent as he processed the information, but Steve knew better.

"We're not doing it, Buck. There's too much at risk, if something happened to her while we were over there…it's not fair to her, or you for that matter."

Sam spoke next. "Y'know, there are other Syrians in the States that we could think about. They wouldn't even have to come with us, we could just use video conferencing when we're over there. That way, ain't no civilian has to get their ass killed in a warzone."

Nat looked at Sam incredulously. "You really think you're gonna get a satellite signal in a place that hasn't seen clean water in 2 years? Think Sam, she's the only person who already knows about Barnes and we _know_ she's trustworthy."

"How are you so sure about her? You've only met her once," pointed out Steve.

Nat smirked a little as she said, "Barnes could've killed her that night, and sheended up apologising to _him_. She might be inexperienced, but she's not naïve. She'll understand what this means for her country, Steve."

Bucky remained quiet throughout the entire conversation and simply listened. His eyes were glued to the rug as he remembered the words that had been uttered by a stranger only weeks before.

 _I'm sorry for what they did to you_.

When Bucky heard that Mia was aware of his past, that Sam had given her an idea of just what had happened over the last 70 years, the thing he least expected to receive from her was compassion. That particular emotion…it just wasn't a sentiment that he was accustomed to, much less by people that he'd had in a chokehold a few months prior. No, he decided that this girl was different. His instincts told him as much, and even after years of dancing on HYDRA's strings, he hadn't lost that.

"Ask her," said Bucky in a voice barely above a whisper.

Steve's eyebrows shot up in poorly concealed surprise. "Buck, you don't have to do this, we can find someone else."

Bucky simply shook his head. "Can she help?"

Nat nodded her head. "She lived in Aleppo 'til she was 10, spoke the dialect her whole life. Even when she moved to Australia, she never spoke to her aunt and uncle in English."

Sam furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as he looked Nat's way, to which she shrugged, "I might have snuck a look at her file."

Sam sighed and shook his head before running a hand over his face. "I'm telling you, I know her and I know what she went through…it's not gonna be easy to convince her to go back there."

Nat levelled with him. "I don't doubt that she'll need convincing. But I've got a feeling she'll come through." Nat then smiled and said, "Looks like it's time to make a call, Wilson."

* * *

Mia was in the middle of sorting out her whites from her coloured laundry when her phone vibrated atop of her washing machine. Quickly shoving her clothes in, she fetched it and ducked into the living room before looking at the caller ID.

Sam laughed before asking, "How you doin', Mia?"

"I'm good, Sammy. Although I gotta say, the last few days have been pretty boring, y'know. Mel's outta the country for the next 3 or 4 months, but thankfully I haven't run into anymore metal-armed car thieves from my past, so that's a plus." joked Mia.

"I know I've spoken to you since then but I never got to tell you that you took that night like a champ, kid. Seriously, everyone was real impressed with how you handled it. Even Barnes."

Mia was surprised to hear that. Surely she hadn't done anything too far out of the ordinary. Had they been expecting her to streak through the streets of D.C. upon finding out that one of her good friends happened to know her car-jacker, who also happened to be Captain America's long lost friend who'd been working as a Soviet assassin for the last 70 years?

 _Pfft_ , stranger things have happened.

"There was nothing to handle. I'm glad you told me about him, y'know. It makes everything easier to understand." Mia went quiet for a moment. "So, what else has been goin' on, Sammy?"

"Nothing crazy, just working on a couple of missions."

" _Oh_ , so you're officially on Cap's team of badass soldiers, hey?" she chided.

Sam clicked his tongue, "I guess you could say that." He seemed to be struggling with a way to say something, and that much was made clear when he cleared his throat and spoke quietly, "Mia, I called because I wanted to ask you something."

Mia moved to the kitchen and chucked 2 mini donuts in the microwave. "Uh-huh?"

Sam took a deep breath before he spoke. "I need a favour. And believe me, I would never ask you to do this if I thought we had another choice. I need you to understand that you're our only option."

 _What the hell is this guy talking about?_

Mia opened the microwave, took out her steaming desserts and made her way to the bench stool. "Okay, I gotta admit, that sorta freaks me out. What is it?"

Sam exhaled. "We got assigned a mission, a big one. I can't tell you much over the phone, but we're heading out next week."

Mia's forehead drew lines in confusion as she stuffed a donutin her mouth and said, "Okay…so is it super dangerous or something?"

Sam said, "I'm not gonna lie, this one isn't gonna be easy. But…that's not our biggest problem." Mia listened intently as Sam considered his next words. "We're gonna need a translator because none of us are familiar with the territory."

"O…kay?"

"…The team wants you to come, Mia."

Mia's eyes shot wide open.

 _What?_

"You…what?"

"Steve and Nat, they talked it over and…you're the only one they trust to help us."

Mia blinked profusely and shook her head in confusion. "Wait, wait. Where are you guys even going?"

It was as the words left her mouth that she knew _exactly_ what Sam was going to say.

"Aleppo."

Mia closed her eyes tight as if that would change the location they were destined to reach.

"Sam I—You can't d—I can't do that…I'm sorry."

"Mia, listen to me. We have two weeks to complete this mission and it's just about impossible because we don't have any Syrian based contacts. Believe me, you're the last person I wanted to drag into this, but Steve and Nat are right. We don't have the luxury of time right now and you're the only chance we have on the ground. You know that place like the back of your hand."

Mia couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Sam, wha—Have you lost your mind? Are you seriously even asking me this? I haven't been there in almost 15 years, what makes you think I'd plan on going now?"

"Mia, I know this is hard for you, but plea—"

" _Hard for me_? Sam, my— " Mia's voice cracked and her vision became blurry as she said, "My parents are buried there. The last memory I have of that place is a bomb hitting the hospital we were born in while my brother and I watched from a bus."

 _Breathe_.

"There's nothing left for me there, and if you knew me at all, you'd see that."

"Mia, all we need is a few days. Just enough time to complete the mission. But we can't do it if we're going in blind. Please Mia, you gotta trust me."

Mia knew what she was hearing in Sam's voice. It was something between determination and desperation, and even though she had no idea what the mission was about, the gravity of it was not lost on her. But this wasn't just helping out a friend with some money or letting someone crash at her place for the weekend; no, this was someone she trusted asking her to return to a place that she hadn't called home for more than a decade. Every good and bad moment, every building that held a memory attached to it, it would all come back to her if she went there. The past that she had so compactly hidden away for so long was threatening to spill over, and Mia knew that a big part of her wouldn't be the same if she stepped foot on that soil again.

"Sam, you know what you mean to me. But...I can't do what you're asking me to." Mia's lip quivered as she wiped at her cheek. "Please don't make me go back there. If it was anywhere else, I'd…but it's _there_ andit's _them._ İ just can't do—"

Before Mia could let her tears flow freely, she hung up the phone and left her friend repeating her name through the receiver. She was letting him down. She was letting down Steve and Natasha, and she was making whatever mission they had to accomplish even harder than it had to be. God, she hated herself for that. But what else was she supposed to do?

On the other side of town, Sam was sitting in Steve's apartment with his phone dangling from his hand and his fingers pinched at the bridge of his nose. His mind was berating him for not thinking this through further. Aleppo was her warzone, the battlefield she'd survived and here he was, asking her to fling herself back into the middle of it. In what world would she say yes to that? In what world should she have to?

His attention was interrupted when Nat, Steve and Bucky walked into the apartment, all looking slightly sour-faced after their covert meeting with Fury.

"Sam? What happened? Did you talk to Mia?" asked Steve.

Sam looked up and shot Steve a sad smile. "Yeah, I did. She took it like I thought she would." Sam laughed bitterly and looked down at the coffee table. "We are on a whole new level of fucked up, man. We shouldn't even be asking her to do this, let alone expecting her to."

"What did she say?" asked Nat.

"She said she couldn't go back there, not after all that's happened."

Surprisingly, Bucky spoke next. "What happened there?"

All eyes turned to Bucky before looking to Sam. He brought his elbows to his knees and said, "Her parents were shot dead in front of her a day before they were supposed to move to Sydney. Only her and her brother made it out."

Bucky's face fell upon hearing that. In all his years of slavery under the Soviets, he'd never been sent for a mission to Syria. Even in his last few months of freedom, he'd only been told the basics about the turmoil that had ensued in the country. In all honesty, he hadn't even considered that Mia had a past that was tainted by loss and war. From what little he'd seen of her on the night at the restaurant, she just seemed so _happy_. Bucky figured that a girl like that would've been untouched from the horrors he'd known to be present in the world.

Maybe he was wrong.

Sam shook his head looked towards Steve. "Isn't there anyone else that can do the same job? She can't be the only person that knows Syrian-Arabic."

"It's not just about having a translator. We need someone that's familiar with the field. SHIELD didn't have jurisdiction over Syria, so we never had many contacts in that area. Besides, anyone that we did have is either on the run or dead." Steve shook his head and stood resolutely as he looked to Sam. "Fury's set the deadline for 12 days. We don't have time to find someone else that's gonna know half as much as she does." He shook his head regrettably, "Look, none of us want her to be in this situation, but you know what's at stake if we let this guy get away. We need her, Sam."

Sam huffed out a breath and looked at his friend in resignation. "I know, I know." He shook his head before addressing the room. "You clowns got any bright ideas on how to do that?"

Steve shrugged his shoulders slightly before looking to Bucky, who in turn looked to Nat. She smoothed out a piece of her already straight hair before she seemingly struck an idea. She quirked her lips up into a smile and seemed to adopt a light in her eyes before turning Bucky's way.

"You wanna go to a Muay Thai tournament?"

X


	5. Chapter 5

_**Edited Chapter**_

Chapter 5

"This is the dumbest fucking idea you've ever had," said Bucky as Nat parked their inconspicuous car in the underground lot of the arena.

Nat put the handbrake on before shutting off the ignition and turning to Bucky. "You've been telling me that for the last 6 hours. I heard you the first time, _Yakov._ Now, come on, you know this is our best shot."

Bucky shook his head in annoyance. "She's fucking terrified of me. She's never gonna listen to anything I have to say. Why the hell should she?"

Nat sighed as though this was the thousandth time she was explaining herself. "You know that none of us can go in there, there's too big of a crowd. And you heard what Sam said, if anyone's gonna understand why we have to do this, it's her. All she needs is a little convincing."

Bucky looked down at his gloved hands and stayed quiet before he shook his head. "What am I even supposed to say to her?"

Nat shrugged. "Just tell her what she needs to hear. Make sure she knows what's at stake. Remember, this is _her_ country. Don't let her leave without knowing just how many people could be hurt if we fail."

Bucky drew in a breath and regained his composure. He'd been on a thousand missions where death was a possibility, and here he was, quaking in his boots at the thought of speaking to a 20-something year old girl.

 _Man the fuck up, Barnes._

"Her fight's in Hall F and it starts in 5 minutes. I'll be parked at the south side entrance. Good luck."

With a slight nod of the head, Bucky harshly tugged on the brim of his hat and opened the door. This was going to be an interesting evening.

Inside the arena, Mia was currently sitting on the corner of her fighting ring with _sensai_ Eddie pressing an ice pack to her left jaw and screaming in her ear over the roar of the crowd. She was about to head into the final round of her fight against Jaco's champion, Lilia Dos Anjos, who just so happened to be one of the best fighters in the division.

Mia was absolutely spent, having already fought 1 fight since the tournament had started in the morning and now nearing the end of the toughest fight she'd had in her life. Lilia was relentless, but Mia had stood her ground better than she thought she would. _Sensai_ had told her that Lilia won the first round but Mia undisputedly won the second one. It was now up to these final 3 minutes. They would decide whether Sal's gym would win their first ever Muay Thai championship in a women's division, and while her body battled with the on-set of fatigue, Mia's focus was clearer than ever.

So far, she'd executed all the combinations that _sensei_ Eddie had practised with her to near perfection. She'd managed to gauge her opponent's weaknesses as she'd been taught to do and she preserved her energy by refraining from unnecessary strikes. The unfortunate thing was that when you're in the middle of a bout, 3 minutes feels like an _eternity_. When the bell rang, Mia's eyes switched back into focus. She readied herself with a stretch of her arms and a crack of her neck as she took in her _sensei's_ final instructions.

"She's tiring herself out too quickly, Mia. She's leaving her core wide open every time she goes for a counterattack, so make sure you hit her with a clean uppercut in there. Don't let her touch your eyes anymore, kid. Your hands shouldn't drop no matter what, you understand me?"

"Uus, _sensei,_ " answered Mia.

"Good girl. Go get 'em, kid."

Mia put her mouth guard on and rolled her wrapped wrists before drifting back to her opponent. By the looks of it, she had a fractured orbital bone and a nasty bruise forming on the underside of her jaw. Mia's otherwise sandy skin was scattered with spots of blood, some hers and some Lilia's. The referee stood between the two women and looked from one to the other before waving his hand down to signify the beginning of the final round.

With a respectful touch of each other's gloves, the two women set into action and were bouncing on their feet in anticipation of an attack. Lilia eyed Mia as she moved around the ring in a fluid dance, assessing the perfect moment to execute her assault. Mia watched her opponent's stance and noted that she was favouring her right foot, which meant that the barrage of kicks that she'd sent to her leading leg was beginning to strain her movements.

With a calculated step, Mia launched towards Lilia and began her attack by kicking the inside of her knee and buckling her balance. With her opponent now semi-standing, Mia landed a 3-punch combination to her abdomen and a clean elbow to her already swollen jaw. As Lilia tried to regain her composure, Mia swung her right leg to her ribs and managed to drop Lilia to the floor, all within the first 30 seconds of the round. The referee stepped in and assisted Lilia back to her feet before restarting the fight, and this time, Mia saw a noticeable anger behind her opponent's eyes.

She knew in that moment that this fight had taken a turn for the risky, and Mia had to make sure that with every powerful hit that Lilia struck, she would counter with just as much strength.

Mia wiped some blood from her bottom lip as she began bouncing on her feet again.

 _Just finish the fight, Mia. When she brings her hands down, clock her with an elbow to the chin and finish her with an ankle kick to the sternum. Don't let her touch your eyes again_.

Mia ran her critical eyes over her opponent and was set to advance upon her. She knew exactly what she was going to do, she had it all planned out. Now, all that was left was to implement it.

But things hardly ever went Mia's way.

As Mia propelled herself towards the defending champ, Lilia sidestepped her and brought a clean uppercut to Mia's chin. Upon impact, Mia's eyes clenched shut and she lost all sense of direction for a moment. Unfortunately, a moment was all that was needed.

Lilia took advantage of Mia's compromised position and stepped towards her, landing a swift kick to her shin. With Mia now unbalanced and still recovering from a quivering chin, Lilia seized the chance and went for the finishing strike. With all the grace of a predator, Lilia launched herself at Mia and grabbed on to either one of her shoulders before leaping up on her left foot and delivering an earth-shattering knee to the jaw. Lilia landed back firmly on her feet, but Mia dropped to the floor within the span of a moment.

All she could see were stars. Obviously not _literal_ stars; they were more like the sort of specks that you begin to see when your vision becomes dazed. She vaguely understood what'd happened in the last minute that she had experienced, but at that very moment, she didn't particularly care. She understood enough to know that she'd lost, and that her training hadn't prepared her for the blow she'd just been dealt. _Sensei_ would probably tell her that he was proud of her and that there was nothing more she could've done. But Mia knew better.

She had one chance this year to _finally_ bring a women's championship belt back to the gym. She knew it was something Sal and the _sensei's_ had wanted ever since the gym had opened, but their fighters had always, _always_ lost to Jaco's. It was becoming somewhat of a prophecy that each year the women would reach the finals, and each year, they would lose to one of the best competitors in the country.

She'd just been _so close._

There was so many 'if only' scenarios racing through her head as she lay still on the fighting ring, that she barely noticed the medic racing towards her with a first aid kit and a flashlight in hand. The second that the light was directed at her eye, Mia was pulled from her reverie and blinked furiously before feeling a familiar arm gently easing her up into a seated position.

"You did good, kid. You did so good, I couldn't be prouder of ya. C'mon, 'atta girl, we gotta get you standing for the announcement." Mia slung an arm around her _sensei's_ shoulder and looked with slightly glazed eyes at the setting around her.

"Oh my…God", marvelled Mia. The crowd had to have doubled since the 2nd round finished, probably because this was one of the last fights of the day. Around 1,000 people were cheering and taking photos, and something about the entire experience was unnervingly surreal to Mia.

"Mia, you gotta go stand by the ref. Go, quick quick!" said _sensei_ as the announcer began speaking into the microphone.

"—the final round of the women's championship for today. We'd like to thank our sponsors, Adidas and Coca-Cola for their ongoing support of this tournament. Now announcing the 135 lbs weight division's women's champion of the year; winner by knockout at 1 minute and 13th second of the final round, ladies and gentlemen, give it up for…Lilia Dos Anjos!"

The crowd erupted as the referee raised Lilia's hand and the reigning champ smiled through her facial injuries at her coach. Mia dropped the referee's hand to clap for her opponent and plastered a small smile in the wake of her defeat. The disappointment at having lost the championship was very present, but it didn't override the importance she gave to accepting loss with grace.

As she was clapping, Lilia bowed slightly to her coach and made her way over to Mia's side. Over the noise of the crowd, she had to lean in close to shout in Mia's ear, "You should be very proud. You did very good in the ring. Thank you for being my opponent," said Lilia with the weight of a Brazilian accent lacing her speech.

Mia couldn't help but break into a smile at hearing those words. Lilia was famous for having beaten Sal's fighters for the last 2 years, but everyone always spoke of her having great character. She was only a few years older than Mia, but there was an unspoken respect between them that only came when you're thrown in a ring with someone.

"Thank you so much, that means a lot. I hope we meet again, hopefully under better circumstances next time," said Mia with a laugh. Lilia herself let out a chuckle and looked towards the photographer that was speaking to both of them before slinging an arm over Mia's shoulder and throwing up the peace sign. Mia quickly snapped into focus and rested her hand at Lilia's back, while showing the 'cowabunga sign' with her left (she _was_ Australian so, it's totally justified).

After taking a few photos and bidding their final goodbyes, Lilia returned to her corner and fetched her things while Mia did the same. Most of the crowd had dissipated and were making their way out of the event now, which just left the fighters and their coaches in the vast halls. Mia was in the middle of wiping the sweat from her neck when she stepped out of the ring to head to the fighter's rooms for a quick shower and a well deserved bag of Dorito's.

After Mia stepped foot into the changing room that was reserved for fighters from Sal's gym, she quickly checked the area to make sure that she was the only person in there. She rid herself of the bloodied Muay Thai shorts she'd fought with and stood in a black sports bra and a pair of running shorts. When she looked in the wall-length mirror that was situated next to the cubicles, she grimaced at the way her hair had been slicked back with all the sweat from the fight and the fact that her face was about as red as the Cap's shield itself.

 _Oh God, I don't wanna think about Cap right now. They all probably hate me for being so difficult about the mission. It was the right thing to do but…how are they ever gonna look past that._

Mia closed her eyes and shook her head at herself in the empty room before letting her dark hair out of its plait. She tousled the roots of it and let it fall down the length of her back as she set about getting the wrapping off of her hands and feet, with only her thoughts to accompany her.

 _They should seriously get some music in here or something_.

Mia began absently humming as she unwrapped her wrists from their bonds, when she heard a soft knock on the door followed by a familiar voice.

"Mia, you in there?"

Mia looked up and headed towards the door. "Yeah, _sensei,_ I'm coming."

She quickly wiped at the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead as she opened the large door and beheld a sight that she _never_ expected to see.

"Uh…"

"This guy says he's a friend of yours," said _sensei_ Eddie with a raised brow and a slight stiffness to his taut frame. "He was walking about the corridors lookin' pretty lost. When I asked him, he said he wanted to get into your fighter's room but he didn't have authorisation. Do you know him?"

By 'him', _sensei_ was referring to the 6'0 tall, beefed up, jacket-clad, hat-wearing man of mystery that Mia knew to be Ja—no, _Bucky_. Mia's eyes widened as she took in his appearance for the first time in daylight, and _boy, oh boy_ did he look different.

The first thing she noticed was that he seemed to wear a perpetual frown on his face. She took in the half-week old scruff and the slightly sunkissed flush to his skin, as well as the ragged breathing that seemed to be leaving his parted lips.

 _Not exactly a terrible specimen._

By the time Mia worked her way up to his eyes, she noticed that they seemed to be downcast and staring somewhere low in her direction. She drew her eyebrows together in confusion before looking down at her current _very sweaty_ appearance and cringing at her own stupidity.

 _Your clothes are literally only covering 4% of your body, Mia_.

Rushing to divert their attention and _his eyes_ away from their current line of sight at her legs, Mia blurted the first thing that came to mind.

"Gareth!"

Both Bucky and _sensei_ looked at Mia in slight alarm and confusion as she floundered for words.

"Oh God, Gareth! I didn't expect to see you here! Ho—How are you?" said Mia with an overly enthusiastic smile on her face as her eyes silently pleaded with Bucky to play along.

Before Bucky could reply a half-coherent answer, _sensai_ tossed an accusatory look his way and said, "You told me your name was Jacob."

… _Fucking hell, Mia_.

Mia laughed nervously and said, "Oh, that's just a little inside joke we have. I call him Gareth and he calls me…Maler…ia?"

 _Note to self: find the nearest hardware store and promptly buy a shovel for the massive grave you're gonna dig yourself tonight_.

Mia could practically see the wheels churning in _sensei's_ head as he appraised the situation, and she knew exactly what he was thinking. She knew she had to say something to save the situation before _sensei_ took it too far and started prodding for more answers.

"He's…he's actually my boyfriend. It's okay, I asked him to come today. I must've completely forgot to tell him where the fighters rooms were, so…"

Bucky seemed taken aback by the lie but looked to _sensei_ nevertheless, possibly trying to put on the least threatening face he could conjure (which was still slightly unnerving to Mia). She watched a look of surprise came over her teacher as he said, "Boyfriend? Since when have you had a boyfriend, kid? How come I've never seen him before?"

Mia loved her 63 year old, overly protective coach, she really did. But God help her, because she really didn't know why the hell Captain America's best friend wanted to meet her in the first place and she _definitely_ didn't want to say anything that would exacerbate the situation.

Mia scoffed. "C'mon, Gramps, you think I can't pull a date if I wanted to? He's new, so go easy on him," and with that, Mia grabbed Bucky by a gloved-hand and yanked him into the room. She smiled at her _sensei_ before going to shut the door and yelling out, "I'll see ya in a bit, thanks _sensei_!"

Mia shut the door with a loud bang and stood with her back resting on it before she let her head fall back and her eyes flutter shut. She didn't realise how high her heart rate had gotten until she was in the quiet of the fighter's room, with no sound interrupting her hearing. It was as she calmed herself and slowly opened her eyes that she saw Bucky staring at her with a puzzled expression on his face, a look that Mia thought had been permanently glued to his features.

"I'm sorry. No one should have to be called Gareth, even if it's just for pretend. God, I don't even know why that came to mind."

Bucky fixed the brim of his hat and looked briefly around the room before saying, "Not what I would've gone with."

Making her way over to her gym bag, Mia dug out her high school Rugby jersey and tossed it over her head as she pulled her long hair from beneath the collar. Now feeling somewhat more comfortable, she looked to the only other patron of the room and smiled softly before saying, "I gotta say, you're definitely not who I expected to show up here today. Aren't you supposed to be in hiding after the whole Triskelion thing?"

Bucky was himself a little taken aback by the comfortable attitude she was displaying. Surely it was an attempt to mask the inner fear she was harbouring at being in the same room as someone who'd once tried to kill her, but Bucky reminded himself of what Nat had told him to do.

 _Give her the details of the mission and make sure she understands what's at stake. Don't let her leave without knowing just how many people could be hurt if we fail_.

Bucky remained quiet for a few moments, which spurred Mia to flash a little wave of the hand in front of his glassy eyes. "Bucky?"

Snapping out of it, Bucky looked up at her and was infinitely more comfortable now that she'd put some more clothes on. He cleared his throat before saying, "The others are too recognisable. If they came, they'd only draw attention."

Mia nodded and looked down at her still-wrapped feet. "And why…why exactly did you guys wanna come here?"

Mia thought she knew what he would say next. Besides, how many other reasons could there be for the man in front of her to have shown up at a Muay Thai tournament. She played with the ends of her ebony hair and glanced up to find Bucky looking at…her shins?

 _Does this guy ever make eye contact or…?_

"You kept your left leg too exposed."

"…What?"

Bucky pointed at her bruising shin and said, "Your opponent, she knew you were gonna lead with your left so she wore out the inside of your knee, to make you lose balance quicker."

Mia's brows drew together in confusion. "But…but I got dropped because she sent an ankle-kick to my shin, not my knee."

Bucky shook his head and said, "That kick might've made you unsteady, but it sent you to the ground 'cos she'd been putting pressure on it the whole fight, and you didn't even notice."

 _He watched the entire fight? Fan-fricking-tastic._

But Bucky's analysis was one that Mia hadn't heard from her coach or anyone on her team before. _Sensei_ had always trained his fighters to attack offensively, as opposed to wasting energy in executing defensive tactics. Bucky's take on things was different, but it left Mia highly curious. "Okay, wait, so you mean…you mean she'd been kicking around my knee for 2 rounds just so she could make it tender enough to buckle at the right time?" Mia asked.

Bucky looked up at Mia and nodded. She scoffed and said, "Wow, I wish you would've shown up in my corner at the end of the first round. Maybe I wouldn't have messed up so bad."

Bucky stayed quiet for a moment, as if considering his next words. "You cracked her orbital bone and 3 of her ribs." He shrugged before adding, "S'more damage than she did to you."

Mia's eyes widened slightly as she looked at him.

 _Is that him…complimenting me or…?_

Deciding to take it as praise, Mia laughed a little and said, "Uh…thanks. She's a total badass, been knockin' out our girls for the past few years. I guess if I had to lose to anyone, she's not too shabby of a choice."

They stayed quiet for the moments that followed, and neither one of them could think of the words to fill the void. But it was just as Mia was about to break the self imposed silence that Bucky spoke up in a clearer and firmer voice than he had previously adopted.

"There's 22 million people left in your country. They've already been through hell, but they're not even close to ready for what's about to happen." Bucky stared at Mia's chestnut eyes with an intensity unlike she'd seen from him before. His own eyes swam with earnestness and what seemed like responsibility, as though the burden of the lives he was speaking of rested solely upon his shoulders. "A lot of people are gonna die if we don't do this right."

Mia let out a breath and hopped her way over to the physio bed that lay in the middle of the room. She sat up on it and winced as the last of the fight's adrenaline left her body and gave way to the pain of the blows she'd been dealt. She finished unwrapping her left hand quietly and heard Bucky make his way over to stand at a cautious distance in front of her.

"Sam told me that they took your memories from you." Bucky visibly tensed at the mention of that, before she continued.

"Sometimes I wish I couldn't remember my parents. I wish I could've been a bit younger when it happened so that…so that I wouldn't see their faces everywhere I go". Mia played idly with the wrapping in her hand and tried to force back the tears as she pictured her _mama_ standing at the kitchen sink, quietly singing songs in the language that Mia grew up with. She saw her _baba_ sitting at the dinner table with his half-mooned glasses and his ice-grey eyes skimming over the day's newspaper, as he brought a steaming cup of tea to his lips. In Mia's mind, she saw her parents as they were before the war, when their biggest worries were whether the curtains _mama_ had picked out would match the sofa, or how Zeyn was going to do in his mid-term papers. But Mia knew that if she went back there, back to the place where it all ended, she'd only ever see the ghosts of the people they'd become.

Two lost wanderers searching for a life beyond war, only to have it stolen from the piercing of a bullet.

"You might think that remembering them is painful…but nothing would hurt more than seeing their faces and not knowing what they meant to you." Mia looked up with tears rolling down her cheek and saw an equally broken man staring back at her.

Taking in a deep breath, Mia said, "I don't even know how I'm supposed to help you guys. I speak the language but that doesn't mean that I know how things work around there anymore. A lot's changed in the last 10 years."

Bucky shook his head. "S'not about the language. You're one of them. We can't take out this guy if we don't have someone on the ground that blends in with the setting."

Mia sighed and was beginning to see a bit of sense behind what Bucky was saying, but nevertheless, there were too many questions raging in her mind. "What's the deal with him, anyway?"

Bucky replied, "He's a Syrian politician who's about to make a deal that's gonna send bombs dropping all over the country."

Mia scoffed. "That's nothing new."

Bucky shook his head. "This is different. If the deal goes through, he's gonna leave Syria while an enemy state sends nuclear blasts to all the main cities."

Mia's eyes widened and her mouth parted as she understood the gravity of what she was being told. She croaked out, "You mean…?"

Bucky's eyes filled with remorse as he said quietly, "…There won't _be_ a Syria anymore."

Mia closed her eyes as the memory of bomb blasts and fighter jets roaming the skies filled her vision. Since she'd left her motherland, Mia had always kept up to date with the destruction that had been inflicted upon the country. Her heart always ached, but the thought of every man, woman and child being consumed by endless smoke and fire…that was a feeling she couldn't surrender to.

"Why did they send you to tell me all of this? Any one of them could've called me or told me the same thing," asked Mia.

Bucky licked his lips and thought for a moment. "We both know what it's like to lose the right to choose." His rich blue eyes softened as he looked over Mia's features. "You'll make the right choice."

Mia wiped at the tear that was hanging from her lashes as she swallowed the lump in her throat. She looked down at the floor and laughed softly as a thought came to mind. "Are we ever gonna meet under circumstances when I don't end up crying in front of you?"

For a moment, Mia got to see a fleeting smile on Bucky's lips and she couldn't help but let her mouth turn upwards at the sight. "Maybe."

Bucky slowly backed away from her and made his way towards the door. Mia stood up and limped a few steps behind him before saying, "I don't want to disappoint you guys."

Bucky tugged on the brim of his hat and tucked a piece of his long hair behind his ear. Turning to Mia, he let out a breath and said, "So don't."

Mia let her head fall and her shoulders sag. Was she being unreasonable? Was she letting her past affect the benefit of people in the present? If there truly was no other way and if she didn't do what she could to help, then Mia figured that any lives that were lost would fall on her. If she could just find it in her to play the part they wanted her to play, she might be able to do some good.

Mia looked up at Bucky who was staring at her bruised and tattered form in anticipation. Mia ran a hand through the roots of her long hair and shot him a nervous smile.

"Okay."

* * *

"You're not going," said a highly unimpressed Zeyn from the other side of the line.

Mia rolled her eyes as she folded two tank tops into her overnight bag. With most of her packing done, all she had left to decide was which undergarments she'd need on a slightly illegal, super top secret mission.

 _There's no way you'd need lacy bras in the middle of a warzone. …Okay, maybe just one but not all 6 of them. Oh my God, so many sports bras to choose from. Okay, you're going for 2 weeks, not until the inevitable sloth apocalypse, just shove 3 in the bag and be done with it! Oh, and don't forget the—_

"The silent treatment isn't gonna make me say yes to you going."

Mia put the phone that was currently sitting on her bed off of speaker mode and held it to her ear. "Oh c'mon, Zeyn. I've studied hard the entire year and Mel really, _really_ needs someone to be there with her. It's not even classified as a vacation, she's taking care of her aunt and I'm just gonna be there to help her. Don't be an old man about it."

"Don't be an old—Mia, it's been _9 months_ since we've seen you, if you were gonna go anywhere in these holidays, why wouldn't you just come back home?" asked an outraged Zeyn.

Mia couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Sure, she was sworn to secrecy but the idea of not telling her brother that she was about to go back to their _real_ homefor the first time, and without him, was something that she knew would eat at her conscience. But nevertheless, it was just something that had to be done.

"I swear, it wasn't something I planned on. And honestly, it's to help someone out. You've never stopped me from doing that before."

 _Nice work Mia, play the sympathy card._

"No, no, no. Don't pull that shit with me, Mia. Don't try and guilt me into letting you go, that is so not the point. You know for a fact that you and Mel are gonna have the time of your lives there, you're probably gonna forget that her aunty even needs taking care of!"

Mia knew that she'd have a hard time convincing her brother to even let her go to Turkey, let alone her actual destination. But she tried to find as many loopholes and excuses as she could to pressure him into relenting.

"Zeyn, you're coming to D.C. for the graduation anyway! I'll be back way before then and it'll all work out. It's just…" _Bring out the figurative doe eyes_. "It's been a really hard year. And everyone's going on these crazy trips to celebrate graduation, and I'm stuck here with nothing but a 2nd place medal for a tournament I'd trained all year for and a job that's making me fatter every shift I have! Please Zeyn, please let me do this."

Zeyn was quiet for a few moments before letting out what seemed like a sigh of resignation, which Mia took as an excellent sign. "Mel's already been gone for 2 weeks, why are you just now thinking that it'd be a good idea to go and be with her?"

"Well…the thing is it's a lot of hard work being a full-time carer. And she thought she could do it by herself but…I guess she could use the help. Plus, the loser misses me like crazy so…"

Zeyn let out an exaggerated breath, "Alright, alright. Go, have fun in your exotic places, just remember that there is a family that you are neglecting in the land down under."

Mia's previous smile fell suddenly as she remembered something. "Zeyn, please for the love of God, don't tell _khaala_ or _khaalu_ that I'm going. They're gonna freak and they'll probably alert the Turkish Armed Forces to deport their incompetent niece back to Kenya upon arrival at the airport."

"…Why do you always say weird shit like that?"

"Because I'm trying to get a point across! Please just don't tell them, Zeyn. I just wanna have a nice holiday". _In the depths of a Syrian warzone_. "…without any distractions…". _Besides the sound of fighter jets and grenades exploding in the air_. "…with my friend." _With some of the most highly skilled assassins of our generation_.

"Yeah, yeah, I won't." Zeyn sighed. "God, you fucking owe me big time, kid."

Mia giggled and proceeded to unleash a bombardment of 'you're the best's to her big brother. She hated lying to him, but the only thing that could've been worse was telling him the truth. This was something she knew she had to do, and after her discussion with Bucky the day before, Mia knew that her brother would've been proud had he known the real reason she was flying halfway across the world. Now she just had to live up to the expectation.

"Alright loser, make sure you tell me as soon as you get there and don't forget to send me the number you'll be using. I don't want any of the 'Oh Zeyn, I didn't have signal for 2 months, sorry about that!' bullshit, okay?"

It was as he was saying those words that Mia realised he was actually right. She wasn't completely certain, but she doubted that there would be many places in Aleppo where she could get a good enough signal to call her family. How was she going to get through to him for the next two weeks?

Storing that question away to the long 'Make Sure To Ask Sam' list, Mia quickly said, "Don't worry, I'll make sure of it. Hey, I gotta get going now, got an early shift tomorrow." _And by early shift, I mean a super secret airplane ride to our motherland_.

With a few final words of goodbye, Mia hung up the phone and let it dangle in her hands as she sat on the edge of her bed. She folded her legs under her and stared out of the window to a moonlit sky, stifling the anticipation she felt as to what would come the following day. In no more than 24 hours, Mia would be back on the soil that she thought she'd said goodbye to forever, and she'd have to blend back into the setting she'd once belonged to. She'd be hit with the same weather and the same surroundings, and if she was being honest, she had no idea if she'd fit in.

Like she'd told Bucky, language wasn't the only thing that would get her through whatever awaited her. She'd lost the connection with the people that one could only cultivate by having lived a full life in the country. Nevertheless, she'd be damned if she didn't try her best.

Just as she was about to brush her teeth and hit the sack, her phone lit up with Sam's name. Putting the phone in the crook of her neck and reaching to put her bag on the floor, Mia answered, "Hiya Sammy, how's it hangin'?"

Instead of the deep voice she expected to reply, Mia heard a woman say, "Not too bad, my back's a little sore, though."

Eyes widened and still not exactly used to being on a first name basis with the Black Widow, Mia let out a nervous laugh. "Oh Natasha, sorry I thought it was Sam. How are you?"

"I should be asking you that. You all packed?"

"Yep, I've just packed a few sets of shirts and pants. It's a good thing we aren't going to any fashion shows while we're over there, because I am seriously not dressing to impress."

Nat let out a little laugh. "I wouldn't be so sure. I was thinking of telling you to bring one or two traditional dresses if you had any. Our guy's quite the party-goer, so we can't exactly be too sure that we'll only ever catch him in the streets. It's better to be prepared."

Mia deflated a little at hearing that. "I don't think I have any Syrian dresses here. I left them all in Australia, didn't exactly think there'd be much need for them here," said Mia as she went to her closet and sifted through the hangers.

"It shouldn't be too big of a problem, we might be able to find something while we're there. But if you could get your hands on one, it'd make things a lot easier."

Mia nodded. "I'll have a look before I go to sleep."

"So we're picking you up at 5:00 am tomorrow. Did you talk to your brother?"

Mia smiled at just how ballistic Zeyn would go if he realised that _Natasha Romanoff_ was asking about him. "Yeah, I told him that I'm going on a getaway with Mel. He wasn't too sure at first but, I convinced him."

Nat hummed in acknowledgement. "Okay, we'll see you at 5 tomorrow. Don't be late, the plane isn't gonna wait for very long."

As Mia walked through the hallway and into the kitchen, she asked, "Do I need to bring a passport or anything? My citizenship papers or…?"

Nat laughed. "No, we're… not exactly gonna be going through customs to get there. Just don't bring your phone, we can't have traceable devices on us while we're there."

Mia nodded. "Got it. Alright, I think I'm ready. Nervous as hell, but ready."

"Don't be nervous. I know you don't know us very well, but we're not gonna let anything happen to you. We wouldn't have asked you to come if we didn't think we could keep you safe." Mia's almost couldn't believe her ears when Nat spoke next. "And from what Barnes told me he saw at the tournament, I think you'd dish out more damage than you'd take," said Nat with the quirk of her mouth.

Mia flushed a little and scratched at her nails as a goofy smile graced her features. "Thanks, Natasha." She cleared her throat before continuing. "Is it just you four coming on the mission?"

"It is. Not too many agents left, so we're all we've got."

Mia nodded. "Okay. Well, I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow then."

"Good. And Mia", said Nat in a resolute voice, "You're doing the right thing."

When someone that Mia had admired for so many years and with as much experience as Nat had said something like that, Mia couldn't help but be more convinced of the fact. Things were going to be insanely difficult, but the best things usually were.

"I guess I am."

Nat nodded to herself. "Get some sleep. Good night," and with that, Mia was left alone standing on her kitchen tiles with butterflies wreaking havoc in her stomach.

* * *

For some reason, Mia could register the overwhelming scent of an array of spices. As her vision cleared, she began to notice that she was walking down a narrow bazaar alley, with hundreds of bustling stalls on either side of her. There were dozens of men calling for her to approach their carts, with women standing at each and looking over their products with appraising eyes. Mia was left slightly unbalanced when 3 children bumped into her, as they ran with superhero figurines in their hands towards the end of the alley. Smoke filled the air and the sun was mercilessly directing its heat in Mia's direction, but something about the scene was donned with familiarity…and frankly, an overpowering sense of happiness. Regardless of the sea of people in front of her, Mia didn't feel stifled or overwhelmed. Mostly, she just felt at home.

She was walking slowly through the abundance of shoppers as she looked down at her clothes and noted that she was wearing a blue, traditional everyday dress with a light shawl wrapped over head, as was customary during the hotter months. She slowly walked by a stall when she heard a man calling out to her.

"Eggs for you, _ukhti_. Very fresh and straight from the farm, best way to start the day, sister!"

Mia turned around and saw a man standing in front of a rock stove with a wooden spoon in his hand, and a crackling heat coming from in front of him. He was tending to a dozen sizzling eggs on the grill and was wearing a friendly smile under a traditional turban. His face was a kind one, and though she couldn't quite make out a lot of his features due to her inexplicably blurry vision, something about him was drawing Mia closer and closer. She took a few steps in his direction before he spoke again.

"No better way to begin the day than with some eggs. Wouldn't you agree?"

Mia nodded before she was about to speak, but something halted her. The closer she got, the clearer she began to see the man. His skin was a flawless brown and his almond shaped eyes were alarmingly familiar. It was only when she was right in front of him that she saw him perfectly, as she simultaneously felt a prod on her left shoulder. Turning to look the other way, her brows furrowed when the previously bustling bazaar was now without a single person in site. The dusty street was left without the blazing sun and Mia's confusion only increased when the sizzling sound grew and grew by the moment. It was when she felt the relentless prodding return that she awoke with a jolt and came back to her senses.

"C'mon Mia, wake up so we can at least have breakfast," said Sam as he poked at her shoulder.

Mia's eyes blinked a few time to return her blurry vision to its normal sight before widening them at the realisation that there were two other occupants in her room.

"I gotta say, this place you got isn't half bad for a 22 year old," said Nat as she held the curtain back to look out the window.

Mia shot up and out of her bed, with one strap of her tank top hanging loosely at her elbow and half of her blanket lying on the floor.

"What—What time is it? Why…why are you guys in my room? What the fu—Am I still dreaming?" Mia looked at Sam with sleep-riddled eyes and questioned, "Why are you holding a frying pan?"

Sam stuck his fork into the fried egg he'd apparently helped himself to, took a smile bite and said, "Because your lazy ass wouldn't wake up 15 minutes ago when I first asked you to make some breakfast for your guests."

Mia's heart dropped a little as she looked at the clock. "Oh my God, it's 6:30?! Why didn't you guys wake me up? God aren't we, like, really late?"

Nat shook her head and walked towards Mia's bed. "The plane got held up in Costa Rica. We're gonna have to wait 'til 2 in the afternoon for it to get to the base."

Mia nodded her head slowly and looked down only to realise that she was still in her hideously ugly (and _sinfully_ comfortable) pyjama shorts and tank top. She self-consciously brought the covers up and over herself, lest her guests get an eyeful of her otherwise bra-less state. After she stopped floundering for a moment, Mia scrunched her forehead in confusion.

"How…how did you guys even get in here? You need a pass just to get on the elevator."

Nat made a face that roughly translated to 'are you seriously asking us that', before shrugging and saying, "Rerouted the system with a synthetic code."

Mia nodded and muttered, "Of course, the good ol' 'synthetic code' trick. Gotcha."

Nat noticed how Mia was gripping to the covers for dear life before finally showing a little mercy and saying, "We'll leave you to get changed. You should probably have a good breakfast, you're not gonna get too much of it for the next few weeks."

Sam finished the last of his eggs and shot Mia a stupidly happy smile before leaving and closing the door behind him. Mia was still coming to terms with the fact that the Black Widow and the Falcon (is that what people were calling him these days?) had actually broken into her house just to wake her up. What she was more surprised at was the fact that she had slept through all 7 of her alarms, which was hardly a trait that Mia had.

She picked up her phone to see where things had gone wrong, only to realise that although it had been hooked up to the charger, it wasn't actually plugged into the power point, and now she was left with a phone on 0% battery. She rolled her eyes and muttered, "The one time I needed to wake up and you die on me. You've brought dishonour on us."

Mia rolled out of bed to dawdle her way towards the large ensuite situated on the left side of her room and went about her every day practices. When she finished brushing her teeth, she looked at her skin and was surprised at just how pale she'd gotten over the last few months. Thankfully, the bruises on her jaw had begun to yellow the day before and were only noticeable under scrutiny that day. Her exams and training had caused her to hibernate for the majority of the past weeks, and Mia couldn't help but frown at the loss of colour to her skin.

When she had just moved to Australia, there was nothing she hated more than her complexion. Surrounded by children who were all blonde haired and blue eyed, Mia couldn't help but resent the dark features she'd inherited. It wasn't until she became older and realised that people would, quite literally, _bake themselves in the sun_ to gain the same colour that she saw the positive side of the situation. At this moment, she was hoping that the Syrian sun would give her back what she'd grown to love.

After changing hurriedly, Mia headed back to the mirror and decided to stick with a simple wad of mascara, matched with a nice lip balm. Sighing as she stared at her wavy waist length hair, she decided that it would be best to keep it casual and let it hang loose to one shoulder. Nodding in satisfaction and with her jacket in hand, Mia exited the room and into the hallway, only to be (rather strangely) met with the most domestic sight she'd seen in ages.

There, sitting on little ole' Miriya Alfiyan's dining table, was the symbol of America himself with a steaming cup of coffee in front of him and what seemed to be a document file in his hand. On his left sat an equally old (and equally not terrible-looking) man with chestnut hair swept behind his ears and a strained look on his face as he stared down at a book titled 'Damascus: The Holy Land of the Desert' before him. Mia wanted to laugh at the fact that he had picked the one book from her collection that was written entirely in Arabic, but she was too busy staring at his unconcealed left hand as it clasped the side of the pages.

As Mia was displaying her usual signs of mind-numbingly creepy behaviour, she realised that she probably shouldn't linger in the shadows of the hallway like a child predator any longer. She took a deep breath in and walked towards the scene with a small smile on her face. "I didn't know the whole gang decided to break into my place. C'mon Cap, that's a bit immoral of you."

Steve looked up from the file in his hand and etched that warm, infectious smile everyone loved onto his face. "Well, our translator slept through her alarms so it was either this or leave without her. Considering that I can't even say "Hello" in Arabic, the second choice wasn't exactly an option."

As Mia walked towards the dining table, she figured that she might as well try to strike up some small talk with the fella' she'd be working with in the weeks to come. She pointed at the book he was holding and quirked a brow before asking, "You read Arabic?"

Bucky slightly shook himself at the sound of her question before wetting his lips and looking to the book. "I know a little bit." He went quiet for a moment before saying, "I picked it up in Yemen."

Mia's eyes widened slightly. _Well, that was unexpected._ "Wow, Yemen huh? Their Arabic is actually really similar to Syria's. It's a little more rugged but, beautiful nonetheless."

Bucky looked back up at her before nodding his slightly. Mia stood a little awkwardly before looking to Steve who, as it turned out, had been watching the interaction rather closely.

 _Not gonna lie Steve, that's a little creepy_.

It took the sound of the fridge closing for Mia to remember just how hungry she was, so she made her way over to Nat and Sam in the kitchen. "I wish I'd known you guys were coming, I would've stocked up on something other than eggs and chickpeas," she said a little sheepishly.

Nat shook her head dismissively as she sipped on her coffee. "Don't sweat it, the food would've gone bad anyways."

Sam, on the other hand, was slaving away at the stove like a middle-aged suburban housewife and flipped what looked like an omelette one last time before serving it up on a plate. After putting down the spatula and throwing the pan in the sink, he thrust the plate at Mia with an unimpressed look on his face and said, "Seriously, a 22 year old woman living in the city and you don't even have coriander in your pantry." He raised an accusatory eyebrow before asking, "How does Heathenism feel?"

Mia rolled her eyes and suppressed a groan. "Sorry for the transgression, _mum._ "

Sam pointed a finger at her with widened eyes. "Don't sass me, girl."

Mia couldn't hold back the laugh that left her lips as she said, "Alright, alright. Thanks Sammy."

Steve turned in his chair to ask Mia, "Did you tell Nora that you won't be coming in for a few weeks? If she didn't see you for a while, she'd probably get worried and send out the troops for a search party," he said with a fond smile.

Mia laughed. "She was the first person I told. Right after I spoke to Bucky, I called her and explained that I had to go and stay with Mel for a while. She was completely fine with it."

Steve nodded his head and Mia retreated to the dining table just as Nat called out behind her, "We should probably do her debriefing now. There's no point waiting until the plane gets here."

Steve nodded his head and closed the file that was in his hand while Mia sat down on his right side. As Nat came to take the seat next to her, Mia couldn't help but giddily smile at the situation. "This is so cool, I've never been debriefed before. Oh! Do you guys have a 'cone of silence' thing that you have to use whenever you do these things? Y'know, 'Chief, I think we need to use the cone of silence', remember that?!"

Mia's smile fell as she looked at the three blank faces staring at her. "Oh, c'mon. Get Smart? Agent 86?" When she turned to Steve, he had an almost apologetic look on his face as he shrugged his shoulders. Nat looked like she was trying hard to figure out why the name sounded familiar, and Bucky just looked he was still stuck at 'cone of silence'.

 _How the hell haven't these guys caught up on Maxwell Smart? That man was a national icon._

"Don't worry Mia, you'll get used to it," said Sam as he wiped his hands on a paper towel and stood behind a chair at the table. "These guys haven't even seen 'Scarface' yet."

A look that bordered disgust overtook Mia's face as she shook her head and muttered, "Now, that's just blasphemous."

Nat cleared her throat and said, "Well, you can tell us all about it on the plane ride there. 12 hours isn't about to go by fast. Until then, we should probably bring you up to speed on the things you need to know."

Mia nodded her head and threw her hair back over her shoulder as she tucked in for her omelette. "Okay, I'm ready."

Steve opened the file that'd been in his hand and put it in front of Mia. "The guy's name is Varkey Al-Nasser. He's the youngest politician in the Syrian political parties, and sure enough, he also happens to be the most powerful in his current position."

Mia put her fork down as she slid the file closer to her. There were three photos displayed on the paper, each of a tall, dark haired man whose name Mia had just come to know. In each photo, he was shaking hands with people who Mia recognised to be leaders of the Serbian Parliament. She thought that this man, Varkey, couldn't possibly be older than 30 years old, and yet somehow, he construed a deal that would result in the worst attack on Syria in its history. "What's his connection with Serbian delegates?"

Steve changed the page of the file to one which had transcripts of what looked like recorded messages. "Varkey's been trying to sell Syria's nuclear weapons for the last 6 months, but he didn't have any luck until he caught the interest of the Serbs."

Mia's eyes widened. "I didn't even know Syria had nuclear weapons."

Steve shook his head solemnly as he said, "Neither did we. The problem isn't just that he's selling them, though. Russia's gonna be the first to know about it, and if the deal goes through then they're gonna cease friendly fire." Steve seemed to gauge Mia's face before he spoke his next words. "They've been trying to get their hands on them for the last 2 years. If they can't have those weapons…they'll burn Syria to the ground."

To Mia's credit, she contained much of the sickening pain that the thought of such a thing induced in her core. Trying to distract herself from what she'd heard, Mia glazed over the transcripts that sat in front of her, without fully reading them. Nat leaned in and said, "We got intel that he's gonna strike a deal with the Serbs anytime in the next two weeks. We don't have an exact time or location, all we know is that it's gonna go down in Aleppo."

Nat flipped the file a few pages forward. "We found out that he's got a private flight scheduled for Jordan in 2 days, then a hired armoured guard from there all the way to Aleppo." Nat paused. "Beyond the border of Jordan, we don't have any contacts, so he's not exactly gonna be easy to get to."

Mia shook her head in misunderstanding. "Wait, wait. Why is he coming to _Aleppo_ to make the deal? Surely there are better places to do that sort of thing."

Sam spoke up. "Because there's no regulated authority there. You've got a couple of thousand locals and that's it. He could exchange nuclear weapons for money all he wanted, and it technically wouldn't be classified as treason because there's no governmental power there."

Steve nodded. "That's right. He also thinks that there aren't any foreign agencies that have intel about the deal."

Mia looked up at him. "Are you guys still classified as a foreign agency?"

Nat was the one to respond with a hidden smirk. "You could say that we're…highly practical humanitarians?"

Mia couldn't help but laugh at that thought. "Sure, I like the sound of that." She looked back at Steve for her next question. "Steve, I know I signed up for this whole thing, but unless you need someone to _kao loy_ this guy in the gonads, I still have no idea how I can help."

Sam and Steve both promptly cringed at the mental image Mia had so kindly graced them with. Funnily enough, it was Bucky who seemed to be suppressing a grin as he stared at the centre piece in front of him, and Mia couldn't help but feel a little giddy at that. Only a little.

"Look, more than half our time is gonna be spent just trying to figure out this guy's next move. We'll probably be on surveillance duty for a week before we see any real action. But the point is that none of us can make it through a crowd without being noticed. You're gonna have to be the one on the ground. You're gonna ask locals about him and gather as much information as you can. We need to find out when he's gonna have a lessened security detail, otherwise his guards will take him to cover at the first sign of trouble."

Mia nodded her head slowly and took in the information she'd been given. "Okay, alright that makes sense." She then turned to Nat and asked, "You said that this guy was a party animal. But I'm not too sure if he's gonna be attending any fancy schmancy events in the middle of Aleppo, though."

Nat shook her head. "Aleppo's not the only place this guy travels to in Syria. There's a coastal town called Abu Jurayn about 50 miles away. It's probably the safest place in the country, and it's where most of the politicians and governors live." Nat smirked. "And you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll make an excuse to throw a party once they realise Varkey's in town."

Mia looked down at her still bruised hands from the tournament and began rubbing over her knuckles. This was all so much information to take in at once, but it confirmed things that she'd known about her country for a very long time. It was just the reality in Syria; the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. Her parents had once been respected members of society there, so she knew how much money would get blown at expensive events such as the ones Nat was talking about. She also knew that one of those parties could pay for an entire month's worth of food and clean water for the population of Aleppo. But she understood the reality better than most. Rats would remain loyal to rats. Why should they fret over the troubles of ants?

The entire conversation left Mia incensed with rage. She thought to the faces of every mother and father who would lose their lives and that of their children's for the sake of man's greed for power. In a country whose soil was already riddled with blood, this would seal it as a graveyard for the insignificant, the forgotten. She continued to trace the lesions on her hands as she willed her mind to retreat to its state of equilibrium, but try as she may, it just wasn't working.

"You'd think that country's seen enough death to last an eternity." Mia let out a saddened laugh. "I guess it's just a part of them now."

It seemed that everyone at the table could share in Mia's pain. They'd each lost so much of themselves and their loved ones as a result of the wars waged by others, all at different times in their lives. But strangely, it was the quietest of the four who spoke up.

"No one's going to die because of him," said Bucky with a determined fire in his eyes as Mia beheld them. "No one."

X


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

 **Notes: Howdy hoo ha neighborinos! Hope y'all are doing welllllll, I'm super excited to be posting this chapter this week, and I've decided that each Saturday night (Australian time) is going to be my regular update time yeeeeeeeeeboiiiiiiiiiii! Just one thing before I sign off, there was a review that I got about my suuuuper spastic use of quotation marks and I wanna say thanks heappppss to the guest who left it! Here in Australia, we follow the British/English system so our grammatical rules are a little different to America, in that we put the '.' after the quotation marks. Tbh I've NEVER understood that rule and it's completely idiotic to me, so I've switched to the American way and hopefully it makes a little bit of a difference! Thank you sooooo much for the follows and reviews, they honestly helps me so much. Hope y'all enjoy this :')))) Much love,**

 **\- M**

 _ **July, 1944**_

" _I used to think the heat in Brooklyn was bad until I got a load'a this town. I know it's your country sweetheart, but I ain't got a clue how you've managed to stay alive in this weather for so long."_ _As Bucky spoke, he had his eyes closed with beads of sweat forming on his brows from the morning sun, all while his head was resting on the lap of a rose-cheeked, brunette Italian._

" _It is not even midday yet, James. At least give the sun a chance to rise before you begin complaining," smiled Carmella as she threaded her fingers through his hair. "Do not let papá hear you crying about the weather, he whacked Dum Dum over the head with his stirring spoon yesterday for saying the same thing."_

 _Bucky promptly let out a breath of laughter. "Dugan always gets what's comin' to him, that's for sure."_

 _Bucky and Carmella had devised somewhat of a routine over the past 3 months. Every morning, Bucky would rise at the first light of dawn along with the rest of the 107_ _th_ _and deliberate the day's happenings. Any telegrams that needed to be posted were tended to, the frontlines of the city were guarded around the clock by soldiers, and training was something the men never slacked in. In an effort to retain as much ammunition as possible, the head offices in London had sent thousands of blank bullets for the men to improve their aim and accuracy with. The burden of summer had reached its peak in the month of July, and the men were praying day in and day out for some reprieve from the merciless heat._

 _After the day began at 4 in the morning, Bucky would have to wait until sometime between 9 and 10 before he could steal away a few hours with his girl. Ah, his girl; he hadn't meant for any of it to happen, of course. In fact, the last place he'd expected to fall in love was 10,000 miles from home. But he knew the first time that he spoke to the shy daughter of the town's beloved restaurateur that he was a goner. Her English was minimal and she sometimes found it difficult to keep up with the things he said, but Bucky knew that none of that mattered when he looked at her oak-brown eyes and only saw raw, unhinged affection. It was the reason why he was so determined to fight her father for the chance to marry her, and it was also the reason he feared the day that his battalion would face the brunt of the war._

 _As Bucky opened his eyes and stared up at Carmella's in the middle of her family's vineyard, his ever-present smile faded and was replaced by an unsuited glower. "What's the matter, Elle?"_

 _Carmella gazed ahead at the never-ending trees that had grown weak since the beginning of the war, but somehow managed to look beautiful all the same. She continued carding her fingers through her beloved's brown locks, but she couldn't bear to bring her gaze to his._

 _She remained quiet a moment before speaking with a quiver in her voice. "It has been 5 years, James. Hitler has been in power for 5 years and the world is breaking by the day."_

 _Bucky couldn't help but stare at the worried look on his Elle's face. The emotion didn't suit her features; in fact, her unhappiness had become the one thing that Bucky disliked the most. His love had reached a point where he was no longer in control of the things he did to please her. It didn't matter whether it was dangerous or risky, or even stupid. If it made Carmella happy, he'd do it in a heartbeat._

 _Looking at her now glossy eyes, Bucky reached a calloused hand and rested it on the divot of her chin. He brought her face to look upon his, but her eyes remained shut as she willed the water behind her lids to vanish. As a single tear escaped and ran down the length of her cheek, Bucky swept at it with his finger and brushed the edge of his knuckles atop of it. Carmella hated speaking of these things with Bucky, but in moments such as the one she was sharing right now, where he was safe in her arms and the whole world's noise faded, she couldn't help but feel the looming presence of someone coming to steal it away from them. She feared many things, such as hurting her family or being forced from her town, but nothing frightened her like the danger of the Nazis. She'd seen video reels and heard reports of what they'd done to Italian soldiers in France, so she knew it was only a matter of time before they arrived in Italy itself. And when they would arrive in Azzano...nothing would stop them from reducing it to ashes._

" _Look at me, sweetheart."_

 _Carmella reached up to place a hand over Bucky's where it rested on her cheek, and slowly opened her teary eyelashes to look down at him. He was so much more than she'd prayed for. Qualities such as kindness and protection seemed to be engrained in him, and Elle was eternally grateful for their love._

" _You can't be thinkin' that way, you understand? That's exactly what they want you to believe, sweetheart. They want you to be afraid and you just can't let 'em win like that."_

 _Carmella licked the tears that had fallen onto her lips and shook her head. "You always tell me to have hope, but how can I when they can come to Italy any day they want?" Carmella's eyes welled up all over again. "How can I have faith when everyone I love can be taken from me and I can do nothing but watch? You know I am right James, you cannot save us from him. Please don't—"_

" _Hey, hey, hey. Here, baby look at me." Bucky sat up from her lap and brought her face to meet his. He took in her features and how she looked there in the sunlight, surrounded by trees and wearing that thin white dress he loved on her so much. Her dark hair fell in soft waves down the length of her shoulder, leading up to porcelain skin tinged with a rosy blush. God, how'd he get so lucky? He set out of Brooklyn having accepted the fact that he was going to die in this war. But after meeting her, he prayed to God that they got a million mornings like this and more._

 _Bucky wiped at her tears as if they'd personally wronged him and held her face in his hands. His gaze bore into her eyes and held that conviction that he sported so well as he spoke. "Now you listen to me carefully Elle. Taking care of you is all I've ever wanted to do. Do you believe me when I tell you that?"_

 _Carmella closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. "Of course I do, amore."_

 _Bucky nodded his head. "Then I want you to believe me when I tell you this." Bucky took in a deep breath as Carmella stilled. "Nobody here is going to die because of him. I promise."_

X

 **Present Day**

Bucky was currently standing at the base of the private cargo plane that Nat had organised for the trip. Their poor ex-SHIELD pilot was barely given half an hour's worth of a break as he flew in from Costa Rica before the team of 5 arrived at the airstrip. Steve and Sam were currently speaking to the pilot and the two flight attendants as to whereabouts they would be landing in Jordan. Considering this incognito mission was _technically_ illegal now that SHIELD had been dismantled, it was a lot trickier to fly over borders of hostile territories. Sam knew the region fairly well, so he was hard at work trying to figure out where it would be easiest for their ride to pick them up from once they landed in Jordan's capital of Amman. Steve was listening intently to the conversation as he readied himself to venture into the Arab world for only the second time in his life.

But Bucky wasn't looking at any of that. Instead, he was finding it rather difficult to change his line of sight from where it currently was, watching Mia struggle to get her bag into the high over-head storage compartment that was usually used by crew. She'd spent the entire afternoon raking the team's mind with questions and things she didn't understand, and Bucky had taken the time to simply observe the only unknown member of the squad.

When the team was leaving Mia's apartment, Bucky had noticed that she lingered about for a few moments. Even as everyone walked out the front door, Mia had stayed by a wall where there were photos of, what Bucky assumed, was her family. He watched while he opened the door to leave as she touched a photo that had 4 people clinging to each other with full smiles on their faces, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. She'd have to revisit their place of death, and that too, without the support of her brother. Bucky figured it to be a tough challenge for just about anyone.

Back in the plane, he watched Mia as he stood by the emergency exit with his arms crossed over his chest and his pants already dusty as a result of the cargo crates they had to sit amongst. The bag she had brought was easily twice the size of everyone else's, and Bucky guessed it was because she probably wasn't used to travelling thousands of miles for undercover missions. _Can't really blame her._

As Mia's shirt rose about an inch when she tried launching her bag into the storage unit again, Bucky noticed that she had, what seemed like, a perfectly straight birthmark that ran from her left hip to her lower back. Feeling slightly _different_ at seeing that part of her skin, Bucky was about to divert his gaze when her shirt rose up further again, and this time, got stuck in position. Upon clearer inspection, Bucky saw that the birthmark was actually a scar, as there was a completely identical line that ran a few centimetres just above it. Her hair was long enough that it almost hid it from vision as it swayed down her back, and Bucky probably would've kept looking had the sight of Sam walking towards Mia to help her not come before him.

Shaking himself a little and running a hand through his hair, Bucky visibly jolted when he saw that Steve had been standing next to him for quite some time with an amused look on his face. "You okay there, Buck?"

"I'm fine", said Bucky a _little_ too quickly.

Steve shook his head as if to say 'I've known you for a hundred years, you can't fool me rookie', and tried to hide the small smirk on his face. "Well, in that case you wouldn't mind helping get those crates back on the plane. Javier says all this stuff needs to get dropped off in Cairo after we land in Amman."

Bucky nodded and the two super-bros headed down the rail to do one final task before they were cleared for departure. Mia, on the other hand, was engaged in a serious conversation with Sam as they hopped up to squeeze into their designated space of travel, which happened to be the area between the plane's ceiling and stacked wooden crates. 

"Well, have you met _any_ of the other Avengers yet? C'mon, you've been doing this thing for a few months now, you should've at least met Iron Man."

Sam shook his head. "I've sat in on a few conference calls with Stark. Back when the Triskelion fell, Stark was the one that cleaned the place up. That's why the city centre was reopened, like, 2 weeks after it happened."

Mia nodded her head. "Yeah, when I came into work for the first time after that, I saw a whole bunch of trucks and convoys with Stark's name on it. We even got to see a few suits in the sky, which was _fricking insane._ "

Sam laughed. "You never know, maybe you'll get to meet him someday."

Mia scoffed at the idea. "Oh, please. The fact that I've met 2 Avengers already is ridiculous enough. I don't wanna push my luck too much." Sam nodded absently before Mia spoke again. "Although, I mean—If I got to...y'know...meet with—I mean, hypothetically, not that it would ever happen but—I mean, if it _did_ then—".

"Do you wanna tell me or am I gonna have to sit in suspense 'til we get to Amman?"

Mia sighed. "Dr. Banner! Shit, too loud." Mia whispered, " _Dr. Banner_."

Sam squinted his eyes in disbelief. "Out of all of the Avengers that you could meet, you choose _Banner?_ " Mia nodded her head as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and Sam continued to look at her as if she said that Donald Trump would become President someday.

"You mean to tell me that out of Thor and Stark and even that fucking arrow guy, you'd choose _Banner_?!"

Mia gasped. "Don't be a prick, he seems like the nicest guy ever and...he's a total cutie."

"Who's a total cutie?" asked Nat as she joined the pair by effortlessly climbing up the same wooden crates.

"No one! No one, we were just—"

"Mia has a thing for the big green guy", said Sam in dismay.

Nat's mouth quirked up into a sly smile. "What, Banner? Wow, that's unexpected."

"It's really nothing, I don't even—"

"It sure as hell ain't nothing if he's got you stuttering like a 5-year-old." Sam huffed out a breath before looking solemnly at his friend. "This is a sad, sad day Mia."

Mia rolled her eyes before Nat said, "Honestly, I would've picked you for a Thor girl." Sam nodded enthusiastically and said, "Yeah, see that's normal! The dude's jacked and he's got that whole blonde, surfer boy thing goin' on. I thought you Australian girls dig that sorta stuff".

Mia scrunched her nose and shook her head. "To be honest, I'm not really a big fan of blondes."

Just as Mia said those words, Bucky and Steve made their way over to the three members of their team. "First day on the job and you're already finding things you don't like about us?" said Steve with a grin.

Mia closed her eyes as she realised what she'd just said. _Earth, I know we're not in a warzone yet, but please just let me die._ "I—That's not what I—It's just that, brunettes are—I mean, blondes can be good too—"

Steve laughed and waved a dismissive hand. "It's okay, I've got thicker skin than you might think", he said with a glint in his eyes as he hoisted himself up onto one of the crates. Mia watched as Bucky followed suit by almost _gracefully_ putting his hands on either side of his crate and propelling to sit on it with one swift move. Mia thought back to when she had climbed onto one of those things, and how it had taken her about 37 years just to figure out the right place to put her foot and where to hold onto and _wow she was still staring at him_.

She proceeded to snap her head in a different direction so fast that it actually hurt, but she did good to mask it as the whole group listened to the pilot begin to speak over the P.A.

"Alrighty folks, this is Flight MSA227 to Amman. The estimated time of arrival is 12:50am Jordanian time, with the total flight length being 12 hours. Captain, you and your team are welcome to enter the main travel space of the aircraft once American Customs has scanned the plane, which will be in approximately 30 minutes. I'm sorry for the lack of comfort for the time being, but please do not emerge from the storage space until I notify you. Thank you for flying Air Javier." The pilot let out a cute little laugh before shutting off the speaker system, leaving the team in silence.

Mia lit up at hearing that. "You mean we don't have to sit here for the whole plane ride?"

All 4 of them looked at Mia in utter shock. Steve replied, "Of course not Mia, this is just until customs do their little check of the main area and then we're all set to stay in the travelling space."

Mia let out a long "ohhh" before leaning her head back and preparing herself for a good 30 minutes of silence. She even closed her eyes as the dimly lit space was inducing quite the drowsiness within her. She hadn't exactly had the best sleep of her life, and a light doze sounded a little like Heaven to her right about now.

Just as her eyes began to feel heavy with the call of sleep, Nat piped up with unhidden enthusiasm. "Is this the part where we have a few rounds of 'truth or dare'?" she said with a smirk.

Steve groaned quietly and Bucky turned his head to the side as if that would evade the question. Sam, however, brightened up at the suggestion. "Girl, you're not prepared for the secrets I've got stored up here", he said with a finger pointing to his head. Nat's grin only widened. "Oh, I think I can take what you have to offer."

Sam then leaned a little forward so he could say lowly, "You're on", to which Nat nodded slightly. Meanwhile, Mia was watching the exchange with increased confusion. _Is Sam...hitting on the Black Widow? Is the Black Widow HITTING ON HIM BACK?!_

As these thoughts were reeling through her mind, Mia realised that her eyes had widened to chameleon-sized proportions and her brows were furrowed...and that everyone was looking at her.

Clearing her throat and returning her face to its _normal_ expression, Mia smiled sheepishly before readying herself for 'Truth or Dare: Superhero Edition'. _This should be fun._

Nat shimmied in her spot a little before clapping her hands together and saying, "Okay, I'll start off easy on you, Wilson. Truth or dare?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "It's probably better to keep it at 'truth'. Can't exactly give someone a wedgie or throw cow shit at your neighbour's house in our current situation, y'know?" Nat nodded, while Bucky, Steve and Mia looked on in mild disgust. _What kinda dares is this guy into...?_

"Alright, so truth. What was the first weapon you ever fired?"

Sam laughed a little at what was probably a memory going through his mind. "A .38 Colt King Cobra when I was 11. My dumbass friend took it from his dad's glove box and showed me after basketball practice." Sam's smile widened. "My little cousin found out and told my mum. Haven't had a whoopin' that bad since then."

Nat nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. Sam rubbed his hands before questioning, "Alright, craziest place you've ever done it?" 

Mia reddened on Nat's behalf as the question _obviously_ didn't seem to phase her too much. She looked up in consideration, as if there were just too many places to choose from. After a moment's deliberation, she quipped, "There was one time at the top of the Burj Khalifa in '08. The guy was _terrible_ and the clouds sorta got in the way but, not a bad view at least."

Mia's mouth hung open as she tried to wrap her head around what she was hearing. "You...you _did it_ on top of the tallest building in the world?! What—Couldn't someone have caught you guys?"

Nat simply shrugged. "Well, when the Prince of Dubai asks for a private evening on the observation deck at _his own hotel,_ people usually stay away."

Mia closed her eyes in disbelief. _What the actual fu—_

"Okay Rogers, you're up", said Nat.

Steve shook his head vehemently. "No, no, no, not this time. I've learnt my lesson from last year, my secrets are safe with me".

Mia, Sam and Nat all erupted into a mix of 'oh come on, Steve', while Bucky seemingly approved of his friend's discomfort.

"C'mon man, this is a great time to show your manhood", said Sam with a shove of his shoulder. Steve simply glared at him with a face that said 'I'm too old for this shit', but relented when Bucky gave him a nudge from the other side. With a sigh, Steve nodded and looked to Nat with an unimpressed face. "Go."

"Okay, we'll start off easy. First kiss; when and with who?"

At the sound of the question, Steve's groan was drowned out by the sound of Bucky's unsuspected laughter. Mia, Nat and Sam _and_ Steve stared at his squinted eyes and toothy smile in complete shock (and maybe a little awe because _holy lord his smile is blinding_ ). When Mia looked at Steve, she felt a warmth spread to her heart at the sight of him looking at his friend laughing in a way that he probably hadn't done in decades. The look on his face was a sober one, as though he was trying to commit that moment to his memory with all that he had.

As the laughter died down and Bucky slowly regained his composure, he shook his head slightly and stared at his lap before realising that everyone was staring at him. "What? It was a good story", he said a little gruffly.

Steve's face upturned into its own little smile as he began speaking, "Oh, God. Okay, I was in the second grade and Lena Weller was in the third. She always used to hang around me and Buck, mostly because our parents knew hers. But this one time we were flicking marbles at the old baseball pitch behind my house and she came there with her big sister, Jean." He paused to laugh and lightly elbow Bucky in the ribs. "Bucky here was her biggest fan, would do all sorts'a crazy things to make her laugh. So them two got to talking, and that left me and Lena. I remember I'd been trying to get this hit on a marble for the last 10 minutes, and I was so focused on it. Just as I was about to hit it, Lena grabs my collar and just...well, just lays one on me." At the thought of that, Sam and Mia couldn't hold their laughter, but Steve shook his head.

"That's not the worst part. After she...y'know...I was so shocked that I pushed her back and she fell onto a huge ant's nest." The collective gasps from the group gave away just how shameful the act was. "A couple of them bit her ear and she just...lost it. Jean had to take her home and explain why she'd fallen and, safe to say that Mr Weller didn't have us over for a few months after that."

"Captain America assaulted a young girl? Somebody call up the newspapers!" said Sam as he folded his arms across his chest.

Bucky spoke up again because apparently this was one memory that he remembered quite clearly. "You didn't mention the part when she kicked your ass a couple'a days later", he quipped.

Steve turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? What about Jessica Black and Heather Zane? Remember them?"

Bucky scowled at Steve's stupidly smug face. "...I don't wanna talk about it."

"That's not how the game works, Barnes. C'mon, time to 'fess up", said Nat with a clap of the hands. Bucky stared her down before replying with a flat, "No."

Nat rolled her eyes. "If you're gonna be a little girl about it then Steve'll just tell us." Steve chanced a glance in Bucky's direction to meet daring eyes and a set scowl on his face, but he knew that his friend was harmless. For the most part...

"I can't even remember how old you were, probably 8 or something? Anyway, Buck had these two neighbours in his building that would walk home with us every day. They never talked to us though, but they were nuts about him." Steve paused to swipe a hand over his smiling face. "So one day, they both work up the nerve to come talk to him...", as Steve continued the story, Mia listened with anticipation and a keen eye as she watched on. But she wasn't exactly looking at Cap the whole time. Rather, she watched Bucky's reactions to the story his friend was telling and she found herself intrigued by what she was seeing. Bucky's face had taken on an amused expression as Steve's explanation became more and more animated, flailing his arms about. At one point of the story, Bucky cracked a small but present smile that hitched Mia's breath _just a little_ as she took in the tinge of red to his cheeks along with the brightened glint in his eye.

He obviously recalled the memory that Steve was talking about, but Mia felt as though hearing Steve say it was somewhat therapeutic for him, as though the moment wasn't just a figment of his imagination. He, along with the others, listened intently to the bizarre recollection, and Mia's gaze only broke when he glanced her way and their eyes met.

Trying but failing to seem nonchalant, Mia whipped her head back to Steve's direction and realised that she seriously needed to improve on her secret-staring skills, otherwise she'd end up snapping her neck one of these days. She could feel his gaze on her, but she tried to concentrate on the story as well as she could. _Don't think about his smile, don't think about his smile, don't think about his smile_.

"—and then Heather got her book and whacked it on his head while Jessica landed a few punches to his stomach. Jess was a little on the heftier side so Buck had a couple of solid bruises on him for weeks", finished Steve with a laugh. At this point, the entire crew was laughing at the visual of 2 pig-tailed girls beating up a young Bucky Barnes, and the man in question was simply shaking his head with a hidden grin on his face.

"Looks like we've got a couple of weak-ass punks in charge of protecting our country. I'm not sure if you're gonna shoot down Al-Nasser or invite him out for girl-talk over wine and cheese", said Sam with a laugh.

Steve simply shook his head while Nat said, "Well, he sure seems pretty enough to do that sort of thing with. Okay newbie, you're up."

Mia's smile instantly vanished. "Oh no, I'm not really into these games. I'm having a wicked time listening to these stories though. Please, ask Sammy another question."

Nat shook her head. "Not an option. C'mon, you're part of the team now and we barely know anything about you besides what's on your file."

"No, I really—wait, you guys read my file?" said Mia with the quirk of a brow.

Nat shrugged. "For security purposes. Had to make sure you weren't secretly a white supremacist or something, y'know."

Mia laughed and held out her tanned arm in front of Nat. "Oh yeah, because I'd definitely be their number one candidate." She let out a sigh as she saw the determined look on Nat's face. "Alright, alright. It's gonna be hard to top the ones we've heard so far, though."

Nat waved her hand. "Don't stress about that. Okay, we'll start off nice and easy. Last boyfriend?"

Mia stilled at the thought of the man in mind as everyone's eyes glued to hers. Wow, she hadn't thought about him in...quite a while. He was a person that she'd taken a desperately long time to get over, and he'd also been one of the reasons she'd come to the States in the first place. He'd been her biggest mistake in life thus far (maybe excluding the whole 'going to a warzone on an illegal mission' situation), and remembering him was painful enough without having to actually _talk_ about him.

"Y'know, it might actually help to talk about it. It can kinda be therapeutic sometimes", said Nat. Mia simply looked at her and sent her a shy smile, before picking at her nails and speaking. "Uh, okay. Well, his name was Vasily and I was about 19 when I started seeing him. He was 24 and he used to train at one of my brother's gyms, they got along really well." Mia cleared her throat and smiled a little before continuing. "He was actually a chef. I was with him for about 2 years and I'll be honest, his cooking skills were about 90% of the reason I stayed." She got a laugh out of Sam and Steve, and when she looked up at the rest of her team, she found Bucky staring at her in a way he hadn't done since the day of the tournament. Flustering under the gaze of her group, she decided that it would be best to finish this story as quickly as possible. "But, yeah, we just had too many differences and it wasn't going to work so, we ended it and I came here a few months later."

Mia looked up and shot Nat a smile. Just as she feared that Nat would ask her another question about her vague story, she was saved by the sound of the P.A. system sounding. "Captain Rogers and team, I'd like to notify you that it is clear to board the travel space of the aeroplane at this point in time. Please notify our attendants if there is anything we can assist you with. Thank you for flying Air Stark."

Sam shot Steve a confused look. "This is one of Stark's planes? Why did we have to hide in the bunker?" 

"Because Stark doesn't know that we're on here. If he knew and then customs found out, then he'd have a helluva lawsuit to bust his way out of."

Nat was the first to jump down from the pile of crates, landing the 3 metre drop with all the grace of a refined feline. Sam was the next to make his way down, followed by Steve and Bucky. Mia had a _little_ problem in that she wasn't exactly used to jumping from heights, particularly not when those heights were taller than most single-story houses. She dangled her legs over the edge and watched as the group made their way over to the doors of the travel space and tried to centre her breathing. _C'mon Miriya, it's just a few metres. Just pretend you're Lara Croft. You've so got this. Don't be afraid, just do it. Don't close your eyes, Jesus what are you doing?! Just take one little—_

"It's easier if you don't think about it too much", came a voice from the base of the crates. Mia looked down at Bucky and noticed that he had his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans and his head craned back to look at her. "Just give it a shot."

Mia wanted desperately to seem cool and collected in front of the group (for some reason, particularly him), but she was finding it a little hard to take that leap. Looking down to his broad frame and the anticipation with which he waited, she said, "Heights aren't really my thing, y'know?"

He nodded. "It just takes one jump, that's all." He stood back a few metres further to give her a wide berth for her plummet and tried to distract her by asking a question. "What kind of food do you like?"

Mia's face morphed into one of confusion. "Uh...what?"

He shrugged his shoulders and replied softly, "You said you stuck around with that guy because of his food. What kind of food do you like?"

Mia moved in her seat a little as she tried not to think about the drop and realised what he was trying to do. "Uh, I guess my favourite's probably Mexican food." She laughed nervously. "Can't go wrong with a burrito."

He nodded. "Alright, now when I say 'jump', just picture that in your mind."

Mia couldn't help but laugh at hearing those words from a man of seemingly stone-cold character. "What?"

He shook his head and said, "Just trust me."

 _Fuck it_. "Alright."

"Ready?" Mia nodded. "Jump."

Mia shut her eyes for a moment and pictured _a burrito_ of all things in her mind before letting out a small breath of air, opening her eyes and pushing herself off of the ledge. She let out a little yelp as her feet made contact with the ground, but her heavy combat boots took in most of the impact. Steadying herself with one hand on a crate and another resting over her rapidly beating heart, she looked at Bucky with an unsure smile and said, "Thanks, Buck."

His expression softened before he replied, "No problem."

He set off towards the doors without another word and Mia followed suit. She noticed that he tended to stick around a lot whenever she was the last person doing something. Even when she'd been at her apartment, she noticed that he watched her steal a last glance at her favourite family photo. Or earlier in the day when he had reassured her that Syria's people would be safe from Al-Nasser. Whether his words were just empty promises or his real intentions, she didn't know. But Mia couldn't shake the feelings that he was almost...a little protective of her. Of course, she was probably reading into it too much and it was simply his way of making it up to her for almost killing her a few months back, but she couldn't deny that the entire situation was a little more than strange.

X

It was the 10th hour into the flight and Mia was feeling more and more drawn in by the call of sleep with each passing minute. Sam had already been dozing for a few hours on one of the plane's sinfully comfortable lounge chairs. The inside of the travelling space itself was more luxurious than Mia ever thought a cargo plane could be; but then again, this _was_ Tony Stark's property so she should've figured as much.

The main space of the plane was probably the size of Mia's whole apartment, and it held 3 sleeping pods as well as an entire room splayed with comfortable sofas. Upon entry, Nat had told Mia that there were 2 conference rooms located towards the right side of the plane, and a medium-sized gym/training area at the back. _There's a freaking gym on this plane. That is just too badass to handle._ The two bathrooms onboard were fully equipped with large showers and wall-length mirrors, which gave Mia the idea that these cargo planes had been used for many undercover operations before. Not only was it covert, but it had just about everything a top-secret spy would need if they were travelling on a long distance flight.

Mia had spent the first 5 or 6 hours taking advantage of the plane's _highly extensive_ film library, as she caught up on some of the new movies she'd missed out on over the last few months of uni. She also ended up watching 'Mulan', which just so happened to be the first English film she saw once she moved to Australia. She tried _desperately_ not to cry in front of her team, but her resolve broke (as it did every time) when Shang ordered Mulan to leave the army because he found out she was a woman. _It hit me right in the coronary artery._ She then may or may not have raided the chocolate stash she found in the plane's pantry...

At the present moment, Steve and Nat were talking in hushed tones at the back end of the plane, with a large map being held in between them and a slightly troubled look shared on their faces. Mia figured it had something to do with the conference call they had to take half an hour ago in one of the rooms, but she couldn't be sure. Figuring that she couldn't exactly help out at the moment, Mia had been trying and failing to fall asleep for the last hour or so. It wasn't that she wasn't tired or sleepy, it was just a slightly uneasy feeling that simply wouldn't let her rest. When her last ditch attempt at snoozing in a recliner failed, she irritably got up and made her way over to the bathroom so she could wash her face. If she wasn't going to get some sleep, she might as well be _extra_ awake.

When she splashed some water over her face and proceeded to dry it off, Mia looked at herself in the mirror for the first time that day. The natural circles under her eyes were even more accentuated from the fatigue and her skin looked a little paler. She wiped at the slightly smudged mascara under her eyes and simply closed them for a few moments. Being a psychology student for the past few years, Mia had come to be pretty good at the whole 'self-diagnosis' thing, so she knew exactly what her mind was doing right now. She had been trying to block out the thought of actually landing in Jordan and driving to Aleppo for the entire day, and she knew it was because she would have an all-famous panic attack if she gave it value. She didn't want to think about the people she'd inevitably meet who were struggling through this war, nor did she want to think about the men in power who were primarily to blame. Thus far, she'd simply been living in the moment, surrounded by her newly adopted team and maintaining a composed exterior.

Exhaling a deep sigh and controlling her breathing, Mia opened her eyes and quickly realised that she needed to do something to exhaust herself before her anxiety began to peak through. Deciding that this would be a good a time as ever to check out the plane's convenient gym, Mia tossed her hair into a high ponytail so that it fell to her waist, and headed out to the hallway.

It took her a few tries to get to the right door, but eventually she found the one she was looking for. She opened it slowly to make sure she wasn't interrupting anyone's training, and peaked her head through. Finding it blissfully empty and extremely dark, Mia stepped in and turned on the lights, only to behold a gym that could rival most ones on land. _Holy fricking Lordie_.

The gym in itself was about the size of half a tennis court. On the far left, there were two treadmills and two ellipticals standing side by side, with yoga mats resting next to them. Directly in front of her, there were 3 rows filled with weight plates of various sizes, atop of several different barbells. While those things appealed to Mia, her real treat was when she looked to her right to see an Everlast punching bag standing with a pair of gloves laced around it, and a large wrestling mat just behind it. The smile on her face was immediate, and she couldn't help but already feel a little excited at getting to practice her training _in the sky_.

She knew that she didn't have ideal clothing for this sort of thing, but she had to work with what she had. Taking off her long sleeved shirt, Mia stood in a sportsbra and her comfiest pair of Canterbury cuffed sweatpants before tightening her pony and walking towards the bag. She grabbed the gloves that were hung around it and began putting them on as she stretched out her legs a little in preparation for her spontaneous session. It wasn't long before she was all ready to go and rearing with adrenaline to, essentially, beat the shit out of the bag.

Almost 15 minutes into her assault and over the sounds of punches hitting leather, Mia didn't hear the door opening, nor did she see a familiar red-head walk in wearing similar attire to her. Nat had her sleek hair up in a high bun and had donned a tank top with running shorts. It seemed like she had the same kind of idea as Mia when it came to relieving stress.

Mia was too busy sending a four-punch combination to the head of the bag that she missed Nat calling her name twice. It was only when Nat came into her line of sight that Mia let out a loud yelp and a shaky exhale, not having expected anyone else to be joining her. "Oh, God! Jesus, I'm—Sorry, I didn't hear you...come in." Mia's breathing was ragged and there was sweat glistening along her neck and stomach as she heaved in and out. She wiped at her forehead before saying, "You can take over the bag if you want, I just needed to...let out off a bit of steam, I guess."

Nat waved her hand. "I didn't come in here to stop you. I was on my way to do the same thing when I heard you. What'd that poor bag ever do to deserve a beating like that?" she said with a soft grin. Mia laughed and took off her left glove to push her hair back from her face. "I guess I'm just a little anxious, is all. I know I'll be fine once we actually get there...it's just the build up."

Nat nodded her head in understanding. "It gets easier. But I get it, nothing like a good ol' training session to get you loosened up a bit. You do any mat-work?"

Mia shook her head. "No, I've always wanted to get into Jiu-Jitsu but, Muay Thai just took up most of my time." Mia took off her other glove before saying, "How long have you been doing it for?"

Nat began to stretch her arms behind her head. "I started Sambo when I was back in Russia." Nat laughed a little. "It's definitely not something you learn over night."

Mia nodded. "One of my favourite fighters is from Dagestan, and he said that if Sambo was easy then they'd call it Jiu-Jitsu." Nat let out a real laugh at that thought and shook her head. "He's not wrong there." She brought a leg behind her back. "I could teach you if you wanted."

Mia's mouth fell open as she let out a surprised laugh. "Oh God, that'd be...wow, that'd be awesome." Her face fell a little as a thought came into her mind. "I'm not sure how much you can teach me in the two weeks that we're here, though. There aren't exactly fighting mats and body-pads easily available where we're going", she said with a little laugh.

Nat looked at her incredulously. "What, you don't plan on seeing us when we're back in D.C.?"

Mia's eyes widened. She hadn't even thought that the team would want to stay in contact once the mission was over. In fact, the whole idea that she was participating in an Avenger-esque operation hadn't been considered at all due to her overriding anxiety at the destination they were headed for. _I think I'm having an epiphany right now._

"No, I...I just didn't know if you guys...would want to...y'know."

Nat halted her stretches. "I know you might not realise it, but we're not taking what you're doing for granted. I'll be the first to admit that asking you to come on this mission was a little selfish, but we knew you'd see why it had to be done". Nat sent a little smile to Mia's shocked expression. "You being here, it's a big deal. So no, we weren't planning on forgetting you once we get home", she said with a small grin.

Mia let out a small laugh and shook her head. "Well in that case, I don't think there'd be a better person to learn from. I'm probably not gonna be great though, I'm not exactly used to disarming people with anything but my hands, elbows and feet."

Nat shrugged. "You might be better than you think. Don't doubt yourself before you've even gotten a chance to start."

Mia nodded her head and mulled over that thought. It was a few moments later when she heard Nat shift that she thought it was high time to let her start her training. "Well, I guess I'll leave you to it then. God, the showers on board are _amazing._ Seriously, they're fancier than those hotel ones."

Nat nodded. "This is just a cargo plane, you should see Tony's private jets. If you're impressed by this gym, you haven't seen anything yet", she quipped.

Mia shook her head and muttered, "Damn you, beautiful rich celebrities."

She gave a final goodbye to Nat before walking towards the door, for some reason feeling a little lighter than before. She pinned it down to the fact that she had released a bit of pent up energy, but she still felt a little strange. As she reached for the gym's door handle, she expected to meet the hallway of the plane's travelling space. Instead, she was met (or rather, hit) with a 6'0, 200-and-something-pound frame wearing a red Henley. Mia realised all too late that she had clashed head first into Bucky's chest, as she held her paining forehead in her hands. He was obviously no worse for wear, and he felt as though he should say something to appease her. That was until he saw her current state of dress...and glistening stomach...areas...?

 _Doesn't she own any goddamn shirts?_

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know you—", Mia nursed her head in one hand as she looked at Bucky and saw that he was staring _almost resolutely_ at her face, which was when she realised that she'd left her shirt inside the gym. _I knew there was a reason I was feeling lighter. Damn it, Alfiyan_.

"S'okay", he said quietly as they stood in a semi-awkward staring competition for a few moments. _Your shirt, go get your fucking shirt, you moron!_ "Oh! I forgot to get my...shirt. Just...yeah."

Mia left the door handle and Bucky standing in its frame as she rushed to the bench where she'd left the offending article of clothing. On her way there, she caught a glimpse of a sly grin etched onto Nat's face, but she thought it better to hurry out of there as soon as possible before she had a chance to question it.

Mia sent an awkward wave of the hand to both Nat and Bucky as she fast-walked out of the gym with a red face that wasn't exactly a result of her training. Bucky, on the other hand, was looking at Nat with a rather annoyed look on his face.

"какие?", he asked with a scowl.

"Nothing." Nat simply shrugged with a false air of nonchalance before continuing. "Never seen a girl in a bra before?" she asked with a grin.

Bucky just glared at her and brushed off her question, before saying what he came to say. "Steve needs you. We have a problem."

Nat's demeanour sharpened immediately at those words and she sent a curt nod his way before pulling her hair down from its ponytail. It looked like training would have to wait.

After Mia's 10 minutes worth of luxury in the plane's shower, she walked out towards the main area with damp hair and fresh skin. It was as she entered the room that she felt a sudden pang of unease at the sight of Steve, Natasha and Sam surrounding the pilot, with Bucky sitting on one of the nearby stools. Steve and Javier seemed to be in the midst of a serious discussion when Mia draped her wet towel over one of the unused chairs and made her way towards the group.

As she got closer, she was able to make out a few words of the conversation but she didn't have a very clear idea as to what was going on. As Nat was facing towards Mia, she was the first to notice her entry, after which she gestured for Steve to turn around. Steve was wearing a worried expression on his face with hands crossed over his chest and a tightness to his jaw that made her realise something wasn't quite right.

"What's going on, guys?"

Sam gave the pilot a small nod which was meant to dismiss him, so he returned to the cockpit he had emerged from. The longer the silence ensued, the more and more nervous Mia seemed to get. She looked around anxiously to each of her team members but they all seemed to be avoiding eye contact. She could feel the dampness from her hair seeping into the back of her shirt, but for all she knew, it could have been her sweating from the nervousness that had suddenly plagued her system. Had they gotten a tip off? Did someone find out about them? Was there something wrong with the plane?

As these thoughts whirred in her head, Steve cleared his throat and said, "We have a bit of a problem."

"...Okay. What kind of problem?" At Steve's continued hesitance to speak, Mia encouraged him by saying, "C'mon Steve, I can take it, I promise."

Steve sighed. "There's been a bombing near the airport in Amman. It was unrelated, some workers strike protests gone wrong, but it means that half the border is blocked and the other half is heavily guarded by their Army. The only way we can get in is..." Steve held his breath and tried to ease Mia into the idea. "...is if we parachute into Aleppo."

 _Nope, nope, nope. You were wrong. Holy shit, you were so fucking wrong. You can't take this. No, sorry, not in this lifetime buddy._

"The only other way we can get in is through Israel, and that's gonna take 7 days just to process. We don't have that kind of time."

Nat nodded at Steve's explanation. "He's right. We're going to be flying over the drop zone in an hour so you have plenty of time to get ready."

Mia shook her head rapidly and starting waving her hands in resistance. "I'm so sorry, I really am, but I can't do heights. I'll do anything you say, anything at all, but please don't make me do heights." Mia pointed towards the bunker that the team had been sitting in earlier on. "I couldn't even jump off of a 3 metre crate, there is no way I'm plummeting to the Earth from 30,000 feet in the air."

Sam walked towards her and held his hands out. "Mia, calm down. Look, take it from someone who's been doing this for the last 10 years, it's not that bad. I promise, it'll be over in less than 2 minutes and you'll be back on the ground."

Nat nodded. "And you'll be strapped on to one of us so you don't have to worry about pulling the parachute or anything, you've just gotta hold on tight."

"There isn't any other way, Mia." Steve was looking at her almost pleadingly, as if her acquiescence would make the entire situation twice as easy to deal with. As much as Mia was frightened to death of heights (and particularly when the height was over an active warzone), she didn't have the heart to disappoint her team by making things more difficult than they needed to be. She looked to Sam who gave her a confident nod of the head and said, "Don't worry, you'll be strapped to me. It'll be over before you know it."

Mia let out a resigned breath and couldn't help but laugh at the situation she'd gotten herself into. _This is one for the books, kids_. "Alright."

Sam broke into a small grin as Nat and Steve nodded approvingly. Bucky simply watched the scene unfold on his barstool, playing his ever-important role of silent appraiser. Steve set down the map on the table and looked to Mia. "We're gonna have to get dropped over one of the fields. It's about 10 miles outside of the city, but we should be able to make it before sunrise." Mia made her way over to the map that showed present day Syria and looked at the drop site Steve was talking about.

"Do you recognise the place?" asked Steve.

Mia furrowed her brows, trying to remember if the area was familiar. She looked at the closest village and felt the glimmer of a memory at its name. _Biriva_.

"I think my dad managed a factory there," she said softly. "We lived on the outskirts, so Aleppo was too far for him to travel everyday for work. If I'm remembering it right, then Biriva was about a mile from our house."

The team looked hesitantly at Mia, with wary expressions and what might have been pity. Mia looked at them, and decided then and there that she couldn't spend the entire mission being seen like that. If there was one thing she didn't want, it was for the people she respected to treat her as though she was fragile and easily broken. She knew exactly what she was signing up for, and she knew that they would most likely revisit a lot of the places she'd known as a child. But this mission wasn't about taking a walk down Mia's past; it was about helping protect the people that were already there, and those who had little chance of making it out anyway. She straightened her shoulders and donned a determined look on her face.

"I know this was my home, but I don't want you guys to think I'll break every time I see something I remember. I can take anything, but please guys...just don't pity me." Mia looked down as she traced a circle on her palm. "I'd like to think that I'm stronger than that."

The tension that was alleviated was evident on everyone's faces. She'd addressed the semi-elephant in the room, and she had made her point clear. Although the team understood that this might be difficult for her, things wouldn't be made easier just by treating her too delicately. Sometimes, that's just not the answer.

Sam put a reassuring hand on Mia's shoulder and she shot a smile his way. The rest of the team looked on before Mia said, "Which one of you guys is gonna show me how to jump out of a plane?"

The next 45 minutes went by in a hastened blur. The entire team collected their supplies, and made sure that they were leaving nothing behind. Because they didn't have the luxury of putting all of their armoury in a car, they had to strap it into a netted cargo unit that had an automatic parachute attached to it, which would _also_ be falling 30,000 feet to the Earth's surface.

Steve decided that it'd be better to forego the Cap suit for the time being, as he stashed it into his compact carry bag. Nat and Mia both wore a pair of fitted black cargo pants and long sleeved shirts, while Sam, Steve and Bucky wore standardised military-grade utility gear. Bucky was in the middle of dismantling his assault rifle when Steve walked over to him and handed him an earpiece.

"We're set to drop in 3 minutes." Bucky nodded in understanding, but Steve recognised the tensed expression written on his face. "You okay?"

Bucky looked up at his friend while he took apart his weapon. "I'm fine."

Steve was none too convinced. "You can't doubt yourself, Buck. No one here does."

Bucky stored the parts into his bag and determinedly avoided eye contact. Steve realised that he wasn't going to get through to him unless he told him the thing he needed to hear the most. He stepped closer to Bucky so that he was directly in his line of vision and spoke firmly, "Don't let them control you even after you're free. This is you now. You chose this, and no one's ever gonna take that away from you again."

Bucky looked at the determination in his friend's eyes and knew he was right, but the reality was that he didn't know how he would perform in the field. It wasn't about his skills or his abilities, rather it was whether he'd hone in the traits that were engrained in his mind and replace them with what he knew to be right. He wasn't entirely convinced, but it was difficult to resist when someone like Steve spoke to him with such confidence and affirmed belief.

With a small nod of the head, Steve clasped Bucky's shoulder and then headed off to the bunker from which they would be jumping. Mia and Sam were already strapped to one another as they stood a little far from the ledge and went through the instructions one last time.

"Just make sure that no matter what you do, do _not_ drop the bag. Just hand on tight, clench your muscles and keep your eyes open because it's a hell'uv'a view on the way down."

Mia was barely registering the things that Sam was screaming in her ear over the roar of the wind entering the plane. She was too busy stapling her eyes shut and shouting every prayer she'd been taught as a little girl, in the hopes that she'd be spared the unfortunate death of turning into an omelette splattered across the Earth's surface.

"Dear God, I'm sorry for stealing all that chalk from day care for so many years. I'm sorry for not adopting more pets from the animal shelter. Oh God, forgive me for all those wicked weekends of sinning. If I could go back, I probably wouldn't have done it. But please, just don't let me die like this. Zeyn would freak and probably die himself and I don't want that. Please just let us survive a little longer. Just let me meet Oscar Isaac _one time_ and then you can take my soul. Please just, not like this!"

As Mia continued mindlessly screaming, Nat calmly strapped on her parachute and looked at Sam who was holding in a laugh at the sight of someone skydiving for the first time. "How long has she been doing that for?" yelled Nat.

"About 10 minutes. It seems like she has a lot to get off of her chest!"

Steve and Bucky finished tightening their harnesses and made their way to join the others on the ledge. Steve's shield was secured on his back, and he checked it one last time before looking at his watch and telling everyone, "15 seconds!"

Mia's prayers suddenly halted and it was replaced by an almost dream-like state. She gazed ahead at the half-mooned sky and the grey clouds that scattered it. She could feel the force of the wind hitting her powerfully, but it was almost as if she couldn't comprehend it. It was only as Sam gave her shoulder a nudge from his place behind her that she shook herself and made the mistake of looking down, _right before_ he leapt forward and off of the plane.

 _Brain system: Malfunctioning._

It was the first time in Mia's life that the screams simply weren't leaving her lips. She tried desperately to let out the adrenaline by shouting into thin air, but for some reason, it was almost as if the function was being computed to her system. She felt her face being distorted as a result of the harsh wind being blown at it, and she loosely understood that her limbs were being tossed about at their own accord. She could hear Sam shouting something in her ear, but there was no way in hell that she'd be able to understand him at that moment.

So far, she'd had her eyes resolutely shut, but as the nerves of the initial fall morphed into a suspended state of falling, Mia couldn't help but chance a look at the scene in front of her. And boy, oh boy, was it a sight to see.

Even in the night's shadow, the moon had lit enough of the landscape for its features to be clear. The first thing that caught Mia's eye was that there were a large amount of flame-like glows spread across the ground. Even from so many thousands of feet in the air, it was evident that the fires were the most prominent part of the scenery. As she fought the thrill of anxiety in her stomach, Mia grabbed onto Sam's hand from behind her and tried to regulate her breathing. It was only when the calmness of the fall washed over her that she noticed Steve, Bucky and Nat floating close by her and Sam, and something about seeing them felt like a solace to her anxiety. She turned her head to look at Sam's smiling face as he leaned in and semi-shouted, "Not a bad view, right?"

If Mia had the physical capacity to do so, she would've rolled her eyes. Instead, she opted for a little nudge of the elbow at him and continued to stare ahead at the view. She saw that Steve was now in a dive-like position and barrelling downwards at a faster rate than everyone else. Bucky and Nat soon followed suit, and Mia's stomach dropped when she felt Sam begin to do the same.

All of a sudden, she was falling head-first through the atmosphere with the weight of Sam on her back, and the urge to vomit forming in the pit of her stomach. Sam turned on his ear piece so that Mia could actually hear what he was saying, and grabbed onto the strap of the chute. "Hold onto me, Mia. I'm about to pull, and you're gonna feel a bit of a jerk, alright?"

Mia breathlessly responded in the affirmative and braced herself as she felt the sudden thrust of the parachute momentarily pull them up before slowing their fall down to a languid pace.

She leant her head back so it was resting on Sam's shoulder, and she couldn't help but feel the instant relief at the change of speed. Sam tapped her elbow before saying, "You did good, Mia. Sit tight".

The rest of the way down was more beautiful than terrifying, as Mia beheld a viewpoint she'd never gotten to see before. It was another minute or so before they finally reached the last 10 metres of air, with Sam and Mia being the last ones to make their way down. Mia could see Nat and Bucky loosening their harnesses, while Steve took out his compass and noted their coordinates.

The first moment of contact with the ground felt like Heaven under Mia's feet, as she closed her eyes and simply thanked God for listening to her last-minute prayers. They'd landed on what seemed like an endless plain, with trees dispersed across their line of vision. The grass they were standing on was knee high and the air was quite cool for a summer night. As Sam helped Mia out of her harness and then his own, the rest of the team made their way over to them with their bags slung over their shoulders and a weapon in each of their hands.

Mia looked up at the sky she had just been suspended in, and couldn't help but marvel at the stars that were splayed out in its background. In the far distance, Mia could see the faint outline of what she assumed was a bonfire of sorts. She exhaled once, and then twice. She looked ahead to the rocky mountains that were all-too familiar to her memory. This was it.

She was home.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 **Notes: Mahalo my dear friends! Hope you're all doing exceptionally well and I'm suuuuper excited for you guys to read this chapter *aggressively fist pumps for 27 minutes*. We are finally at the point of the story where it becomes primarily about Mia and Buckaroo, I know I know it took a while to get here but I guess I wanted to set it up gradually. Thankyou soooo much for reading and I hope you enjoy it! Much love,**

 **\- M**

"Hey, hey. Let her sleep for now, she's gonna have a long enough day as it is."

Steve picked up the rough blanket that he'd slept on with one hand while rubbing his eyes with the other. The team had walked for more than 3 hours after they landed on Syrian ground in the night's shadow. Their travel marked the beginning of a perpetual state of vigilance on their part, and the night did not falter in testing their alertness.

When the team had entered their 2nd hour of walking, they stumbled across the first deserted infrastructure after several miles of grassy plains. All members but Mia held their weapons at the ready should they be needed, and it was not surprising when they heard faint murmurs coming from, what seemed like, an old farmhouse. They would have continued on their way had a pair of middle-aged Syrian men not emerged from the house with liquor on their breath and their hands wailing at one another. Mia's heart had stopped in her chest and Steve had brought the team to a halt behind an unused tractor, simply watching the fight between the unknown men unfold.

They went at it for a few minutes before Steve decided it was safe enough to cross without drawing attention to the squatters. It wasn't that they would be incapable of defending themselves if need be, but the team was of the opinion that the fewer people who knew of their presence in the city, the better.

As the team neared the end of their 10 mile stretch, they finally found the small suburb they had decided to use as their main base. It was situated on one of the small surrounding hills of Aleppo's city centre, so it served as a useful vantage point. There were only 6 or 7 houses that hadn't been demolished in the area they walked in on, but the night sky hid most of the carnage from their tired eyes at 3 in the morning. Steve picked the house that seemed most inconspicuous, and the team scoped the place a good 3 times before walking in and laying down their equipment.

Almost immediately upon entry, Natasha and Bucky cleared some area so they could set up the basic surveillance systems that would work in a satellite-less zone. Sam walked the perimeter of the house and Steve took a closer look at the parts inside the 4 walls that hadn't been destroyed. Being the only member of the team who was a complete novice in the situation, Mia stood awkwardly and _tiredly_ near Nat as she propped up some of the laptops to have a go at sparking a connection. Nat saw Mia standing with loose knees and a hand behind her back, matched with a face that spoke as to just how much she was struggling to stay upright.

"You need to get some rest. Here," Nat chucked a blanket from the bag next to her. "Find a corner for now, we'll try and see if there's some rooms we can use in the morning."

"No, I'm fine honestly. Tell me something that I can do. Is there anything I can help with?" asked Mia, rather unhappy with the idea of dozing off while everyone else was at work. Nat looked at her kindly and said, "Trust me, you're gonna be much more useful to us after you've had some sleep. We'll wake you up when we need you."

Mia looked at the temptress of a blanket in her hand. After 10 miles of walking on a summer's night, a good sleep sounded like Paradise. "Are you sure?"

Nat had already set back to work on her laptop. "Unless you wanna have a try at surpassing the Syrian satellite defence systems?" she said with the quirk of a brow.

"Right. I'm off." Mia turned to both Nat and Bucky one last time. "Good night."

"Night," said Nat. Bucky looked her way and let his eyes linger for a moment before giving a small nod. Mia was quick to find a clean corner on the second floor that she could rest in, and fell asleep as soon as she hit the ground for a blissful few hours.

Sam, being the ever nocturnal animal that he was, had volunteered to stand guard while the team slept. Steve, Nat and Bucky had all woken up with a jolt at the sound of what was likely a bomb blast somewhere in the distance. Mia herself shifted a little in her sleep from the noise, but Steve stopped Nat from waking her up just yet. Being the first day of the mission, Mia would need all the energy she could muster for the task she was about to take on.

"Did you catch any movement?" asked Steve.

Sam shook his head. "Nahh, it was pretty quiet except for a few fires north-west of here every hour or so. What've you got in mind for today?"

Steve threw a black long-sleeved shirt over his singlet before saying, "We need to go to the city centre. We have 24 hours before he gets here, so we don't have much time for Mia to talk to locals without drawing attention. We'll see what she can find out."

Sam nodded. "Okay, who's going with her? We don't have a lot of Syrian garb that'll help us blend in, and you've probably got the most recognisable face in the world."

Steve nodded his head thoughtfully while Nat entered the room looking miraculously well put together for someone who was functioning on less than 3 hours of sleep. "I can be with her until the city wall, but beyond that the satellite signal cuts off. I'll need to stay there if we wanna maintain communication with her."

Bucky had been listening to the conversation with a keen ear and understood the direction in which it was heading. Looking up from his seated position against the wall, Bucky made eye contact with Steve. They shared a meaningful look that conveyed what each of them were thinking, but Sam was the one to vocalise it.

"I'm willing to bet there aren't too many _brothers_ in town either." Sam looked to Bucky. "Man, come to think of it, you could pass of as Arab. You've got that whole 'I eat babies for breakfast' thing goin' on, that's all I'm saying." Sam punctuated the end of the sentence with a smile, while Bucky glared at him, unimpressed as always.

"He's right, Buck. You could shadow her, no need for you two to be seen together, but you'd fit in better than the rest of us. Besides, you know enough Arabic to talk yourself out of a situation."

Bucky took time to consider it, but in all honesty, he didn't need too much convincing. In his mind, he knew he was capable of protecting Mia from her surroundings while she did what she had to do. If anything, he preferred the idea of him being the one to carry out this part of the mission. This was his element; the tracking, the skilled precision that a strike required, it was all territory that he was familiar with. And somehow, he thought this first mission would be a good place to seek out redemption. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

Before Bucky had a chance to agree, Nat had pulled out a worn-out, thin jacket from one of the bags. "There aren't too many traditional clothes worn in these parts anyway. Maintain a distance and don't let her out of your sight. You know the drill."

Bucky nodded in agreeance as Nat threw the jacket his way. "And for God's sake, don't wear that hat."

Sam walked into the room where Mia was currently sleeping, and hesitated a little before waking her. She hadn't gotten the chance to see her country in daylight yet, and Sam knew that there were only memories that would come with the end of her slumber. He softly grasped one shoulder and shook her. "Mia. Hey Mia, you gotta wake up, kid."

Mia stirred a little but was so far into a vivid dream about Mexican carrousels that she barely noticed her friend's presence. It was only after Sam started shaking her shoulder a little more insistently that she woke up with a jolt.

"Wha—What happened? What's the matter? Sam?"

Sam laughed a little at her dazed expression. "It's me, M. It's 6:00, we gotta get ready to head to the city."

Mia sunk back into her makeshift pillow and shut her eyes. "We're not in D.C., are we?"

"Absolutely fucking not," said Sam as he stood up and pulled back the flimsy curtains near Mia's head, pouring the light of the day's sunrise directly onto her face. "It's gonna take you half an hour to get there. I'm guessing they'll have a lot of people out for the morning markets."

Mia rubbed her eyes as she sat up. "Morning markets? Where are they getting all that food from?"

"There were a couple of wealthy goodwill ambassadors that set them up 2 times a week a few years back. Eventually, the UN started funding it. They come around whenever there hasn't been a bombing that week. It's not much, they hand out a hot meal and some canned vegetables, usually lasts locals a few days."

"There _were_ some ambassadors? Why, what happened to them?"

Sam looked at her as he stood by the doorframe. "Good people usually don't get to stick around for long here." He knocked twice on the wooded door before throwing a small smile her way. "C'mon, get cleaned up and come downstairs when you're ready."

Mia was left to go about her morning ritual (granted, in a very _different_ environment) in a hurry, lest they miss their opportunity at reaching the city on time. She brushed her teeth over the small basin in the bathroom with a bottle of water and washed her face as best she could. Throwing on a fresh black singlet, Mia tied up the shoelaces on her combat boots and walked down the stairs to be met with the sight of Sam, Steve and Nat in their utility gear, and Bucky in everyday worn-out clothes.

"Morning," said Steve. "Sleep well?"

Mia scoffed. "It felt like Heaven after all the walking, so I can't complain." She looked to Nat as she stood behind the laptop. "So, what's the plan for the day?"

Nat looked up. "You're gonna head to the markets and try to talk to some of the workers. They work there three times a week, so if anyone knows about activity in the town, it'll be them." Nat passed an earpiece and a tooth-like object to Mia. "Put this on your molar. We'll hear you and you'll hear us, so we'll be communicating with you from the city wall. Beyond that, there's not gonna be any satellite connection."

Mia looked down at the pieces in her hand and let out a laugh. "I've never felt like more of a spy in my life. Should I start calling you 'Q'?"

Mia looked up to see Nat's blank face, alongside a rather confused Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. "Oh _come on_ , you don't have an excuse, you weren't even born in another century! Y'know 'Q', from James Bond?" _Silence._ "Peter Burton, Ben Whi—Forget it, never mind." Mia missed Nat's little smirk as she attached the tooth piece to her molar, after which she glazed over it with her tongue a few times. "Is it working?"

Nat looked at her laptop to check and nodded once she was satisfied it was functional. She gave Mia a once over look before saying, "Did you bring any other clothes?"

Mia nodded. "I have a plain dress that was my mum's, she wore it to the city all the time. It's summer so most of the women wear light shawls over their heads to stay cool. I have an old one, it should do fine."

Nat nodded. "Good." She looked over at Bucky and said, "Sam's staying here, Steve and I'll be just outside the city. Barnes is gonna be going with you."

Mia couldn't explain the light flutter she felt at hearing that. She looked over at Bucky and saw the cautious expression he appraised her with. It was almost as if he didn't know whether she'd feel comfortable with such an idea, but for some reason, she preferred it.

"Alright," she said with a nod. Nat added on, "He won't be walking with you, he'll follow from a distance. Don't worry if you look back and can't see him, he's not supposed to be noticed." Nat fished out a small pistol and handed it to Mia. "I know you haven't used one before, but it's just in case. If all goes to plan, you won't even need to think about it."

Mia had used dozens of knives and daggers before in her life. In fact, she'd used them to a point that she was now proficient enough to disarm just about any perpetrator within a reasonable range of her own physicality. But guns? She hadn't held a gun a day in her life, and for good reason. As she gauged the weight of it in her hands, she couldn't disregard the one harrowing memory that came with it. In her mind, she didn't think she'd ever look at the weapon and not envision it in the hands of a soldier, stealing away the people she loved.

"Nat, I'm sorry but I really can't use this. I have my daggers with me, they'll be enough."

Nat saw through the reluctance in her eyes and knew the dangers she could face if she was struck with a situation where the team wasn't there to help her. "No one's asking you to use it, Mia. Just keep it with you. A dagger isn't gonna be helpful if someone's got a gun pointed at you from 20 feet away." Nat lightly closed her hand around Mia's with the pistol in between. She gave her a comforting look before saying, "You should get dressed. It's almost 7:00."

Mia nodded and left the room without another word. Steve and Sam had been watching on with unguarded empathy, while Bucky kept his gaze glued to the ground. Nat stepped towards him and waited for his eyes to address hers before saying, "You make sure she never has to use that."

The firmness with which she spoke told Bucky that Nat was speaking from experience, as if she knew the irreparable damage that came with having to pull the trigger.

"She won't."

It was about 15 minutes later that Mia finally managed to find the clothes she'd been looking for as she traipsed around the second floor of the tarnished house.

"Not a single goddamn mirror in this—Ow, Jesus Christ! Ow, oh Lord, wow that hurt. Oh my God." Mia had changed into the only dress she'd bought for the trip, which was a long-sleeved, full length navy blue cotton one. She'd worn it twice before in her life, and she adored the way it looked on her just as it did on her mum. Sure, it was rather worn out and the colour had faded immensely, but something about it took her back to a time she'd loved.

With her hair in a low pony and a shawl loosely wrapped on her head, Mia was on the lookout for a mirror when she stepped on a small piece of rubble that hit _just_ the wrong spot on the inside of her foot. She was half way down the stairs when she started swearing up a storm before she realised that the bottom level of the house was uncharacteristically quiet, considering that there were 4 other occupants.

She felt for the gun that was fastened to her thigh-holster as she walked a few more silent steps down the staircase. There were broken photo frames and pieces of wood scattered on the ground she walked on, so she did her best to make it through without disrupting the eerie quiet of the house. _They're probably in the basement or something, right? They wouldn't just leave without me. And there's no way that anyone could've disarmed 2 super-soldiers and 2 badasses. No, they're probably—_

"Ah, Jesus _frick_! Oh my—I thought...Oh my God, I thought you guys left...or something."

Mia was currently standing with a hand covering her rapid heart rate and the other resting on the curve of her waist. She had her eyes closed, so she couldn't see the way that the only other occupant in the living room was looking at her with slightly parted lips and a wide-eyed expression.

Over the past few weeks that he'd known her, Bucky had never seen Mia in anything but shorts or pants and a shirt. The dress she wore was one that complimented her bronze complexion more than her usual clothes did, as well as lightly outlined the curves she kept hidden under her oversized garb. The shawl she wore displayed a sliver of her dark hair just above her forehead, which highlighted her doe-brown eyes even more so.

Her skin was tinged with a faint flush as a result of her heightened adrenaline, and she only noticed that Bucky had stilled in his spot when she brought her hands back to her sides. "Bucky?"

He snapped his head up to hers and replied slightly gruffly, "They're waiting outside." With that, he paced towards the door of the house and left it open as an invitation for her to follow.

Mia stared blankly after him for a moment before making her way out and into the open. The first thing that hit her was the blazing heat of the sun, regardless of the fact that it was relatively early in the morning. She shielded her eyes from the barrage of light as she stepped down the broken steps and onto the grass.

As Mia opened her eyes, she beheld the magnificent view that stood before her, which consisted of endless mountain plains and the rocky hills she'd loved as a child. The stark difference was that they were now scattered with smoke from the night's fires and there was an undeniable haze that covered the sky. From the place she was standing, Mia could see where the buildings of the city started quite clearly. She could also see that many of the infrastructures outside of the city had been reduced to ashes, but that was just a sight she would have to get used to.

As Mia turned to her left, she found all four of her team members looking to her with rapt anticipation, but Steve was the first to say something.

"You ready?"

Mia nodded. "As I'll ever be."

"Good. Then let's go."

X

"And no matter what happens, _do not_ speak in English in front of anyone."

"Okay that makes sense, but the problem is that they'll still be able to tell by my accent that I'm not a local. What am I supposed to say when somebody asks me where I'm from or why I'm in Aleppo?"

Nat shook her head. "It doesn't matter if you don't sound like a local of the city, they just need to believe that you're Syrian, which you _are_. And if anyone asks where you're from, just tell them you're from a few towns away and you're travelling to Jordan. They shouldn't ask too much after that."

Mia closed her eyes and exhaled crisply. _Okay, this is okay, you can totally do this. These are your people, if anyone can talk to them, it's you._

"Alright, yep, I got this."

Nat nodded. Mia was about to begin saying her goodbyes when she saw Nat produce a sleek blade from her wrist watch. She would've thought that Nat was gifting it to her had she not seen the Russian Avenger bend down to knee-level and rip a generous cut across the width of the dress, exposing a small part of her thigh.

"Hey, hey, wh—Nat?!" Mia looked down at her suddenly visible skin. "What the hellare you doing?!"

"There's no way that a dress like this could've survived unscathed if you were actually living in Syria. That would've raised more questions than you know."

Mia blinked slowly and tried not to think too hard about the fact that her mum's dress was quite ruined. But she simply didn't have the time to fuss over such things. "Yeah...no, you're right."

Nat nodded. "Don't worry, we'll keep talking to you through the earpiece and Barnes won't let you out of his sight." Nat gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Good luck, Mia."

Mia smiled a little in return and looked to the three men behind her. Sam engulfed her in a quick hug while Steve rested a hand on her shoulder before she turned to Bucky and gave him a small nod. With that, the two of them embarked on the final 500m that would take them directly into the city.

The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but it did make Mia more nervous than she ought to be. Rather than walking as a mute for the next 5 minutes, she figured she may as well ease her anxiety by conversing mindlessly with her acquaintance of a companion.

"Y'know, my best friend's family is from a town about 100 km's from here." Bucky looked at Mia briefly as they walked among tall grass and rubble. "Yeah, she's half Irish, half Turkish. Hell'uv'a combination, I know." Mia laughed a little. "Y'know, the first time we found out that both our families lived just a few a towns away from each other, we lost it. It was so strange but, I think it's the reason why we're so close. She reminds me more of home than some of my own family does."

Bucky didn't say anything to that, but he did relate to the idea of friends surpassing the boundaries of blood. He would have continued the walk in a contemplative silence had Mia not posed a question to him. "How did you and Steve meet?"

When Bucky didn't reply for a moment, Mia's eyes widened at the realisation that maybe he hadn't recovered that memory just yet. She was about to revert to her default setting of 'babbling baboon' when Bucky spoke up. "His dad worked at my uncle's factory. I think...I think my dad managed his department, but I remember them being close. We went to the same school and we had their family over for dinner a few nights. I guess it just sorta...happened."

Having not expected even that reply, Mia nodded to herself and played with the end of her shawl. She laughed a little before saying, "Yeah, those stories on the plane sure were something."

To Mia's surprise, Bucky let out a small breath of air that could've been a stifled laugh. "You haven't heard anything yet."

She looked up at the outline of his profile with the rising sun hovering behind him. Due to the natural light, his eyes seemed even livelier and the ridges in his skin were charmingly deepened. He had his hair tucked tightly behind his ear, and Mia couldn't help but prefer that there was no shadow on his face as a result of that damned cap he insisted on wearing. She also noticed that he'd let his beard grow out slightly, probably in an effort to better blend in with the people. Its dark colour only further complimented his eyes and—

"S—Sorry."

Mia's cheeks adopted a deep blush as he caught her staring like there was no tomorrow. She spoke her soft apology and was suddenly very grateful that the side of her face was hidden behind her shawl.

Thankfully her misery didn't linger for very long, as within a couple of minutes they had made it to the boundary of the city centre. Mia had been so busy staring resolutely at the ground in front of her that she'd barely heard the growing noise that exuded from behind the walls she stood at.

As she snapped back into focus, the sound of locals yelling and fires sizzling encompassed her periphery. If she just closed her eyes, she was taken back to when she was 9 years old and walked the _bazaar_ with her mum on a Sunday.

Bucky turned to her one last time before they came into view of other people behind a building block and said, "If you need anything, stand by an alley and I'll come get you. I won't be far behind."

Mia nodded and was suddenly hit with the reality of what she was about to embark on. Funnily enough, rather than feeling overwhelmed by the thought, a sense of calm blanketed her movements and she took comfort in the fact that she knew exactly what to do.

She looked at Bucky and switched on the ear piece that was hidden from view behind her shawl. "Guys, can you hear me?"

"Clear as day. Alright Mia, make your way to the edge of the building and describe what you can see before you walk to the markets. We need to get a good idea."

Mia was already walking towards where Steve had directed her to go, but she turned back once more to look to the man who would be her shadow for the next few days. The two shared a lingering look before Bucky gave a small but there nod and let her carry on with her job.

Mia took a deep breath in and peered at the scene from behind the building to tell Steve and Nat what lay before her.

"Alright wow, there are _a lot_ of people. Um, if I had to guess, I'd say a couple of thousand." Mia squinted her eyes to count how many stalls were set up within the market. "I think there are 5 or 6 different stations where people are handing out food from."

"Okay, are there mostly men? Children?"

"Definitely mostly men, I'd say...maybe two thirds of them are men. There are heaps of kids as well, though. A lot of the women are sitting near this massive well in the middle of the lane." Mia squinted her eyes to try and improve her admittedly poor vision and said, "All the people working at the stalls are too busy, so I might have to speak to them once they finish serving people. By the looks of it, that shouldn't take too long."

"Alright, Nat's trying to get a live satellite feed but it'll take a while. We've only got eyes through you for now."

Mia nodded at Steve's words and felt an inexplicable draw coming from within the city centre. With a determined breath, she said, "I'm going in now, guys."

" _Bit-tawfiq_ , Mia."

Mia laughed at Steve's cute Arabic accent and decided that his sentiment needed to be shared with everyone. "Good luck to _all_ of us."

Mia straightened herself and took a first step away from the building and towards the _bazaar_ lane. She kept her head lowered and walked at a languid pace so as not to draw attention. She was about 50 metres from where the markets began, and the familiar smell of rice and stir-fried chickpeas hit Mia in an instant. As she got closer, she looked up at the shambles in which the buildings had been left, towering on either side of the somewhat narrow lane and doing well to shield the people from the sun.

She saw a group of 15 or so children in torn shirts and blackened knees playing with a deflated soccer ball as she approached the markets. Hearing them cheer and shout in their native tongue felt grounding, and so, so right. Mia walked past them and didn't even get glanced at once.

However, her moment of anonymity was short lived. As she walked towards the well at which the women sat with their food, Mia could feel the gazes of a few of them scorning her movements. She tried not to be too paranoid, but when she could hear some harsh whispers coming from their mouths, it was a little hard not to be. She didn't know whether it was because of what she was wearing, or whether it was because no one had seen her in the city before, but she did her best to hurry past them.

The women she saw ranged in age. Some were as young as 13, whilst others could have been well over 80 years old. It also struck Mia just how different everyone looked. Within a group of seated women, there were those who were pale with blonde hair and brown eyes, but there were also those whose skin radiated a deep bronze and their eyes shone of green. After so many years of not seeing her own kind, she marvelled at the beauty of her fellow Syrians; beauty that was somehow retained even on the cusp of a breaking nation.

Mia walked closely alongside the buildings and hoped to find a spot where she could wait until the workers finished their jobs but she eventually settled for the steps in front of an old hair salon. Taking in the lively scene in front of her, she pulled the shawl a little over the right side of her face so that she could speak to the team without anyone hearing her English.

"Okay, there are 5 people that I can talk to. My guess is that I can't just start asking all of them because that would be _crazily_ suspicious, right?"

This time, Nat's voice sounded. "Well, you're not wrong. You need to pick the right person. Describe them to us."

"Okay, there's a guy that's working at a water stall who's pretty young, he actually doesn't look Syrian at all. I think he's a UN volunteer, probably Afghan or something."

"That's not gonna work, we need a worker that's a local. He'll know more than anyone."

Mia discreetly looked over the other options. "Alright, well that cuts out the other two guys. I think they might be volunteers from Malaysia, but they're definitely not from here."

"What about the other two?"

Mia tried moving in her spot to get a better look at them, but their backs were turned in a way that made it impossible. "I haven't had a clear look at them, but one of them has grey hair and the other one's super lanky."

"Can you walk closer to them?"

Mia looked at the decreasing line of people that were collecting their food and was struck with an idea. "I think I might go get some food."

Mia fixed her shawl and didn't bother to clear the dust on her dress left by the rubble as she walked towards the stall. She tried not to look to suspicious as she passed the hot food stall without stopping for some, and simply continued on to the one held by the 2 men. She stood at the end of the line behind a group of giggling young children. Before she had a chance to question why there was so much excitement embedded in their features, the grey haired worker began speaking to them in Arabic.

" _Habibi_ 's, you're back again. I thought I remembered giving you some treats before?" said the man with a charming smile.

The 3 boys and 4 girls erupted into a new set of giggles as they stared up at the elderly man. A curly haired girl who couldn't have been older than 6 spoke through a toothless smile, "No uncle, that was not us."

The man stroked the scruff on his face in mock contemplation before saying, "Ania, I think you brought back your group of friends so that you could trick me into giving you more sweets. Is this right?"

The laughter from the children that Mia was hearing was more heart warming than she could have fathomed, as the child she figured to be Ania replied, "No, no uncle! This is our first time, we promise."

By this time, Mia had a cheek-numbing smile plastered on her own face as she watched the man reach into a bag underneath the stall's table and pull out 7 lollipops. The children started bouncing on their toes and were almost shaking with excitement as the man reached down to each one and handed them their gift. Every young one shouted out a 'thank you' as they scampered away and back to their group of friends, however, one little girl remained.

She stood there with a generic lollipop in one hand and the other stuffed into her torn jeans. She looked up shyly with her charcoal grey eyes at the man and bit the bullet by running up to him from behind his stall, all but crushing him with a fierce hug.

" _Shukran, khaalu._ "

The man smoothed down the back of her hair as she stayed latched to his knee. He bent down and looked at her with what Mia recognised to be unhinged kindness. He placed a hand on either side of her face and left a small kiss on her forehead before saying, " _Afwan, habibi_."

The moment left Mia feeling bittersweet in the toughest of ways. She was witnessing something so kind, but it was the sort of love she knew she'd never feel again. She had been ridden of her father's love so long ago that she had forgotten that moments like this existed. In reality, all Mia wanted to do was to show her uncle the kind of adoration that this little girl was showing hers. Needless to say, it was no easy feat when her uncle chose to despise her existence in the first place.

Mia watched the young girl leave her uncle's embrace and run back to join her friends. She'd forgotten that she was next in line until the man spoke to her, "Sister? Excuse me, sister?"

"Oh! Forgive me, uncle." Mia looked down at the canned vegetables and realised that she didn't really have any idea how these things worked. "Uh..."

"How many people do you need food for?"

"Uh, just myself please."

The man nodded and shot her a pleasant smile as he handed over 2 cans of vegetables. Mia was about to thank him when he looked down at her otherwise empty hands and said, "Why did you not get hot food, _habibi_?"

Mia froze. _Shit._ "Uh, I am going to get it after, uncle." _Come up with an excuse, quick!_ "My stomach is not...feeling too well. It's hasn't been right for the past few days. I don't know why, maybe because of the—"

 _He doesn't need a 5,000 word thesis on your bowel movements, you got a good look at him, now leave Mia!_

"Uh, _shukran!_ "

Mia made haste with her getaway, barely leaving enough time for the man to reply with a 'you're welcome' before going on to serve the next person. Mia only turned back to look at the tall man who had been working alongside the one she'd met, and she couldn't help but feel a slight chill when she saw him staring straight at her.

The first thing Mia thought was that this guy looked exactly like every one that had ever played the 'evil Arab' in any movie. He looked to be in his mid-30's and was bald save for a few patches of hair on his head. His cheekbones were all too sunken in for his own good, but it was his eyes that showed little sign of life behind them that frightened Mia the most. It was only when she was about to look away that she realised he was the only one who wasn't wearing a volunteer's waist apron with the UN's logo on it.

Mia tore her eyes away in the fear that him staring at her any longer would cause a hole to burn through her skull. She retreated to the same steps she was previously seated on, only she sat in a way that kept her mostly hidden by the railings of the small staircase.

"Only talk when you're certain no one can see you, Mia" said Nat through the earpiece.

Mia sat with her cans in hand and scanned her surroundings briefly before being satisfied that it was safe to speak. "Okay, before anything else, I'm gonna put this out there because I've seen too many movies where the chick ends up dying because she doesn't tell her friends about some creepy guy that stares at her way too much." She breathed in once before saying, "The tall lanky guy that I told you about? Yeah, he's a total creeper, I can just feel it."

"Did he say anything to you?" asked Steve.

"No, I was walking away from the grey-haired guy and I turned back to get a look at him, but he was already looking at me. And not just in a normal way, in an 'I wanna wear your skin' kinda way."

"What can you tell us about him? Anything, features, height, tattoos?"

Mia shook her head slightly. "I was too far away to look for tattoos, but he was pretty tall, maybe 6'2? Pretty much bald, really skinny, probably in his 30's." Mia tried to articulate how he made her feel but she was finding it a little difficult. "I know I totally might be stereotyping him because I used to have family friends who looked just like that. But, I can't explain why he freaked me out so much, he just did."

To Mia's comfort, Sam was the one to respond. "That's your gut telling you something, Mia. Never doubt it." Mia nodded, even though her team couldn't see her doing so. "What about the other guy?"

"Oh, he was awesome. He seems like a local to me, I think one of his nieces is here, but I can't really be sure because most young people call older men ' _khaalu'_ or 'uncle' here, even if they're not related to them. But he seems like he's in his 60's, a little overweight, a couple of his bottom teeth were missing. Uh, I don't really know how else to describe him."

"You did fine, we'll run a search for both of them. For now, wait until they're about to pack up before you go and talk to him. Doesn't matter how long it takes, just sit tight."

"Yep, got it," replied Mia.

Mia listened in on some of the other information that the team was discussing, but the sudden realisation that she was in fact _starving_ hit her like a freight train to the abdomen. She looked at the dozens of men still in line for hot food and decided that it would take too much time to wait around for that meal, so instead, she opened up the can of red kidney beans that sat in her lap and ate away. Considering that she hadn't eaten since before her 10 mile trek, Mia almost moaned at the first salty taste of her day's sustenance. _Almost_.

She was about half-way through when she noticed that the kids who'd been playing soccer had shifted their game closer to where she was seated. With her shawl still loosely covering her head, Mia held up a hand to shield her eyes from the sun as the children kicked up dust with every step they ran. The number of girls and boys were fairly equal, and the enthusiasm with which they kicked the punctured soccer ball brought a little smile to Mia's face.

She had continued eating as she watched the game unfolding in front of her, but only narrowly missed a concussion when an older boy on the team kicked the ball in her direction. Thankfully, she had been paying attention and was no worse for wear, but the children all gasped in unison and came running towards the woman who, in their minds, they'd almost killed.

"Sister, sister! Are you hurt?"

All the kids surrounded Mia in a small circle as she clutched onto the railing for dear life. She blinked a few times and was about to reply in English when she remembered that it was strictly forbidden. Clearing her throat, Mia replied in Arabic, "I'm fine! I'm absolutely fine, it didn't hit me."

The 7 or 8 year old boy that had kicked the ball shuffled to the front of the pack. With a guilty look stricken on his face, he lowered his big brown eyes to the floor as he said softly, "Forgive me, sister. I did not see you sitting here."

Mia's eyes widened lightly at the unnecessary apology. "Sweetie, you don't have to apologise." She laughed a little and said, "I probably didn't pick the best place to sit, did I?"

The boy looked up at her and flashed a nervous smile her way before looking to the rest of his friends and falling back into the group.

"Who are you?" asked the little girl that the grey-haired man had called 'Ania'.

Guessing that she meant to ask 'what is your name', she replied, "I'm Miriya. What's your name?"

"Ania". She then looked to the two equally young girls standing next to her and said, "This is Rana and Layla."

Mia held out a hand to shake theirs and smiled sweetly. "It's lovely to meet you, _habibis_."

The girl named Layla spoke up next. "Where are you from?"

Mia paused a moment. "Well, I'm from here."

Layla shook her head. "I've never seen you before."

The group all nodded in agreement and looked up at Mia with curious eyes. "I live a few towns away from here."

"Did your home get broken too?" asked a quiet voice from the back of the group. Mia peered her head over the children to get a look at who had asked the question, and it turned out to be none other than the girl who had hugged the stall worker.

"Yeah. Yeah it did, sweetheart."

Mia would have been happy to continue the conversation, but one of the boys had retrieved the soccer ball from behind where she was sitting and was now shouting the commencement of the game's second half. The children set off running in the dusty street and left Mia with a wave. She returned in kind and said a few words of farewell, before looking to the stalls to see that the lines had almost finished and 2 of the workers were beginning to pack up their tables.

Mia saw that the elderly man was one of them, and left her food on the steps as she began walking in his direction. She made sure not to be too obvious about it, so she coasted past the area a few times before finally making it to her destination.

The first thing she looked for was to see if the strangely creepy guy lingered anywhere in the vicinity she was approaching. For some reason, he seemed to be nowhere in sight, and Mia couldn't decide whether she was relieved or unnerved by that. She made her way over to the man and stood on his left side as he cleared the table of the rubbish that remained on it.

"Excuse me, _khaalu_?"

The man was now wearing a pair of simple spectacles as he looked to Mia. "Yes, _habibi_?" Just as Mia was about to begin her questioning, the man said, "If you are looking for a hot meal now, then I'm afraid we have already packed up and must get to the next town as quickly as possible. We have not delivered to them in 2 weeks."

Mia shook her head quickly. "No, no. That's not what I wanted. Uh, actually _khaalu,_ I was wondering if you could tell me about a man who frequents the city."

The man continued his scrubbing as he gave a nod that urged Mia to continue. "Do you know of Varkey Al-Nasser?"

The man turned his head up and looked at Mia with an almost _amused_ expression. "Are you mocking me?"

Her eyes widened. "Of course not, _khaalu_. I was just wonder—"

"Who in this city would _not_ know who Al-Nasser is?"

Mia nodded her head slowly. "Right. Does he come here often?"

The man shrugged and said, "Maybe once every few months. Not very often considering this is his hometown."

 _Wow, he's actually from Aleppo. The bastard._

"Do the people like him?"

The man rinsed out the washcloth he'd been using and slung it over his left shoulder. "He brings some of the children toys and some new fabrics for the women. But most people see through him. Politicians, _habibi._ They're all the same."

Mia nodded in understanding. "When was the last time he came here?"

The man let out an unexpected laugh. "Let me ask _you_ something, _hayati_. What is your name?"

Mia didn't think twice before giving her real name, although perhaps she should have. "Miriya."

The man nodded. "Now Miriya, why is a young girl like you questioning strangers about corrupt politicians?" He looked at Mia through his glasses with an analytical eye. "You clearly are not from here, why should Varkey's activities make a difference to you?"

Mia either had the choice to buckle under the pressure, or she could come up with a story to convince the man that any information he had on Varkey was essential. "I'm from a few towns north, near Junyad. My uncle runs an exporting company in Jordan, and he sent our family a message saying that he wanted to get in contact with Al-Nasser to join him in business." _You're doing so well, just finish it off, nice and easy now._ "I heard that he was going to be here in a few days, so I travelled in hopes of seeing him."

The man did not seemed too surprised at hearing that she had journeyed more than 50 kms at the chance of meeting a famous politician. "You think Al-Nasser is your ticket out of here if he joins your uncle in business? Is that why your family sent their beautiful daughter instead of coming themselves?"

Mia figured he was insinuating that she was trying to seduce Al-Nasser in exchange for a business relationship with her uncle. If the circumstances weren't so dire, she would've been gravely offended at such a thought. But because she knew that these things were unfortunately the norm around here, she took it with a grain of salt.

"I am not of that character, _khaalu_. I was the one to travel here because I don't have any siblings and my parents are old. If speaking to him will allow us a way out of here, I won't hesitate."

Mia spoke with a guarded conviction and didn't flinch when he continued to look upon her with an appraising eye. After a few moments spent in silence, the man huffed out a breath and began bagging the extra plates that had been unused. "I have lived in this town for 25 years, and I know when a man is dangerous." He looked up at her and said, "You may think you want to meet him, Miriya. But I can assure you, your uncle is better off doing business with somebody else."

Mia shook her head. "He doesn't want to do business with anyone else. No one has the kind of networking and influence that he does. It'd be a waste of time."

"If your _khaalu_ is so interested in making a deal with a crook, then he should do so himself rather than sending his niece."

Mia laughed bitterly. "Believe me, I know." She tried to veer the conversation back to its original course. "I don't agree with his methods, but if Al-Nasser agrees to work with my uncle then it will be good for our family. I just need to know where I can meet him, even if it's only for a few minutes."

Mia unintentionally had the most pleading expression plastered onto her face as she asked this favour. She really was trying to convey just how important this was, and luckily enough, the man saw it fit to help her.

With a sigh, he said, "I knew Varkey was back in Syria this week because we were told we could not deliver food to the city he would be staying in. If you travel towards the coast, there is a town called Abu Jurayn." Sirens went off in Mia's head as she recognised the name, being that Nat had already told her that it was likely he'd visit there. "We are not supposed to share this, but there will be a party thrown in his honour in 2 days time. Big, elegant party with more egotistical people than you can count. It will be held at the Serbian Ambassador's mansion."

 _Bingo._ Mia nodded enthusiastically. "That's perfect. Abu Jurayn isn't too far from here, it shouldn't be a problem."

The man began laughing as he loaded the food crate onto the trolley next to him. "Forgive me, _habibi_. I have given you false hope. It will be impossible for you to enter such an event. Al-Nasser is on many people's hit-list, his security is impenetrable."

 _If only he knew._ "That won't be a problem. I could always get a little help with that." Mia was relatively happy with the information he conveyed until she realised one deeply unfortunate reality. "I don't have a dress."

The man placed a large cloth over the trolley and removed his glasses to wipe them on his shirt. He looked at Mia's suddenly downturned face and couldn't help but laugh at the peculiarity of the girl in front of him. "You are not worried about how to enter a politician's private party, but you are fretting over a dress?"

Mia looked up at the man and smiled a little. "With the right dress, a girl can enter any party, _khaalu_."

The man nodded with a stubborn smile on his face. He placed his glasses back on the bridge of his nose and said, "Perhaps I can help you find one. I will be back in town tomorrow." The man quietened and narrowed his eyes. "However, they will not allow you to enter the Ambassador's party unless you have a man by your side. Do you know of one?"

Mia's mind immediately went to the man who was likely watching her from afar as she spoke. She didn't know why he was the first one that she thought of, but now she was picturing him in finely tailored traditional Syrian clothes with his hair slicked back and with her by his side and—

"I will take that as a yes," said the man as he pointed to Mia's traitorously pink cheeks. She was about to ramble his ear off as to why he was mistaken, but he waved his hands dismissively. "Meet me by the corner of the old bank at midday tomorrow. Bring your friend, this will not work without him."

Mia wanted to be sure that Bucky would agree, but she was afraid that she would be asking too much of him by exposing him to all those delegates. "I don't know if he'll say yes."

The man began rolling his trolley towards the small truck they had arrived in. "If he knows what this is worth, he will."

Mia was about to watch the man leave, until she remembered that she couldn't simply keep referring to him as 'the man'. " _Khaalu_ , I don't know your name."

He turned back and looked at Mia with warm brown eyes. "Azim."

X

"And then he just offered to help find you a dress? Is there anybody else that finds this dude _insanely_ shady?"

Mia shook her head as she scarfed down a bite of bread that Nat had produced out of God knows where. "He was reluctant the entire time I was talking to him. He kept telling me that I shouldn't be the one to pursue a guy like Varkey, that my uncle should be doing it instead."

"Well, you did good at coming up with a story. He kinda put you on the spot there," said Steve.

Nat nodded and kept her arms crossed as she leant on the large olive tree that was in the backyard of their makeshift headquarters outside the city. Sam and Bucky were seated on the tattered wooden steps that lead to the backdoor, while Steve was seated comfortably at the base of the tree, safely hidden from the late afternoon sun.

"What did he say after that?" asked Nat.

Mia swallowed. "He, uh, said that they wouldn't let me in to the party unless I had a man with me." She tried her best not to redden at what she had to say next. "He asked if I knew one, and I sort of...said yes." She cleared her suddenly very dry throat. "He told me to bring him tomorrow, probably to find him some clothes to wear." Mia cautiously looked at Bucky to try and gauge his reaction, but she found him sitting quietly, listening keenly to each word she said.

The others also waited for a reply from him, being that he was the only man that would be able to accompany Mia to the coveted event without being recognised. Mia took Bucky's silence as refusal, and needlessly began finding ways to retract what she'd said. "But, of course he doesn't have to do it. In fact, I think it'd be unnecessary, I'm sure they'd let me in even if I went alone. And besides, all I have to do is bug the Ambassador's office, right? That should tell us when the deal's gonna happen, it's totally doable."

Nat cut in. "Mia, you're not gonna go in there by yourself. It's too risky and beyond suspicious that a woman with no connections to the politicians in the room decided to come alone." Nat looked to Steve and said, "I think Barnes should go with her."

Steve looked up at Nat and then at his friend, waiting for a reaction. "I think it's the only choice we've got. Whadya say, Buck?"

Mia couldn't explain why she felt a rush of sadness spread across her chest when she saw Bucky leave the group without saying another word. Steve called out his name once, but he simply continued up the stairs and back into the house. Mia kept her eyes downcast and tried not to be personally offended by his actions, but it was quite hard to do when she was the only variable that he might have a problem with during this mission. She bit into her cheek and waited for someone to say something so that they would stop looking at her the way they were.

"Don't worry about him, Mia. It's his first mission after a while, it's tough on him," explained Steve.

Mia nodded though it was more for his comfort than her own. She remained quiet in the hopes that someone would divert the conversation to safer ground, and thankfully, Sam did just that. "What's their cover?" he asked.

Nat shrugged. "Something low-key, Barnes could go as a Jordanian businessman. Mia's his Syrian wife, which is why they were in Abu Jurayn in the first place." Mia almost choked on the water she'd been sipping, but schooled in her features before she could make an even bigger fool of herself. "I'll add their names to the online guest list, that won't be a problem. We just need to make sure that the room gets tapped before Varkey comes to speak with the Ambassador."

A thought suddenly struck Mia. "Wait, how are we sure that the deal isn't going to happen tomorrow? If they're all in the same room together, what's stopping them from going through with it?"

Sam shook his head. "Abu Jurayn falls into governmental jurisdiction, so anything illegal that Varkey does there, he can be jailed for. Remember, he's not making this deal on behalf of his party. He's doing it for himself. No authority in Aleppo means he can't be held liable."

Steve nodded. "They're probably going to decide when it'll happen tomorrow. We need to make sure we don't miss this opportunity, because we won't get another one."

The entire group fell silent as several thoughts and plans raced through their heads. Nat was the first to leave the backyard and into the house to find out a little more about Mia's new friend, Azim. Sam and Mia left to make some food over their makeshift cooker and Steve went into the house to find his friends, and figure out what exactly went wrong.

Bucky had taken refuge on the top level of the house, which happened to be a flat rooftop that doubled as a dining area. He watched as the sun waned through its final stages and took comfort in knowing that soon the cover of nightfall would be upon them. He heard Steve make his way up the steps before he'd even spoken a word, but he chose to look on resolutely at the peach-dyed sky instead. A few moments passed before Steve took a seat next to him on the ledge and gazed at the same view.

"If you don't wanna do it, we're not gonna force you. But you're the best chance we have, Buck."

Bucky scoffed and shook his head. "You think this is about me?"

Steve looked at his friend. "Then what's it about?"

He stayed quiet for a few moments, and hoped beyond hope that his friend would understand what he meant without words having to be spoken.

"She's not gonna be safe there. I've dealt with people like him before, if they think something's wrong...they won't hesitate."

"That's exactly why she's going with you. You were fine with her going to the city, how is this any different?"

Bucky turned and shot and exasperated look his friend's way. "You know exactly how this is different. The city wasn't filled with trained mercenaries."

Steve quietened a little. "Buck, she knows exactly what she signed up for. And we're not gonna let anything happen to her."

"You're lying to yourself," said Bucky quietly. "You can't promise her that."

"Where is all this coming from?"

"All it's gonna take is a sniper to her head from his team. They could—"

"Buck."

"—slip a pill in her drink and then—"

"Bucky."

"—leave her body for the fucking dogs—"

"Is this about Carmella?"

Bucky stilled his words as that name left Steve's lips. There was no point refuting it, so he simply closed his eyes, let out a breath of air and took comfort in the summer breeze that was calming his nerves.

Steve laid a hand on his right shoulder. "Mia isn't her, Buck. You know that better than I do." Steve wanted to speak carefully when it came to Bucky's old love, but it needed to be said. "What happened with Ella...you couldn't control that. But now, you don't have to leave it in their hands. She's trusting us, and we're not gonna let her down."

The truth was that Bucky had felt an inexplicable draw to Mia since the moment he realised that she'd forgiven him at the restaurant. His programming had been binary at the time that they'd first met; if a target was classified as a threat, no matter how moderate, they were to be terminated. But a moment's worth of hesitance told him that doing so wasn't right, and in the 50 years of him being the Winter Soldier, Bucky couldn't remember another instance where that had happened.

Over the little time that he'd spent with her in the last few weeks, he'd grown to know quite a bit about her. She was beautiful, no doubt, but there were qualities in her which complimented her appeal more than her features did. He had noted early on that there was kindness permanently etched into her actions. She seemed to be a person who had faith in people, and that part of her unendingly reminded him of Steve. He knew that she was headstrong and determined, but he also got the insistent feeling that she had a deep fear of letting down the people around her, urging her to do things that she might not want to. It was a trait he'd seen in Carmella; it was also the trait that he knew had lead to her death.

That's what Bucky was afraid of. He hadn't been there for the person that needed him in 1945, and even after he'd promised her that no one would die because of Varkey, he feared what would happen if he wasn't there to protect Mia. Her only remaining family was her brother; a brother that had no idea she'd travelled halfway across the world in the possibly futile effort of saving people from a terrible fate.

"Buck?"

Bucky looked ahead and let out an exhale. "I can't let her die, Steve. Not her too."

Steve was taken aback by the words his friend spoke. He'd known that Bucky felt guilty that she had been a victim of the Soldier's before she became his teammate. He also knew that there was a part of him which yearned to protect the people he cared about, and after the past few weeks, Steve was beginning to think that Mia belonged to that group. He didn't, however, realise that just how deeply Bucky feared that he wouldn't be able to do so. Whether it was because she reminded him of Carmella, or whether he had begun to see her in a renewed light, Steve wasn't sure. All he knew was that he shared the sentiment wholeheartedly.

"Well then, we better do our jobs right."

X

It was about 10:00pm, and the others had fallen asleep. It had been a productive day, and due to the adrenaline that had been surging through her body for the last few hours, Mia hadn't had a chance to sift through all that had happened. It was only now as she sat on the same steps that her team were on hours earlier that she wished she could submit to the call of sleep.

She'd gotten a chance to see her city again. Thinking back on it now, it was barely recognisable from when she had been a little girl. Back then, the streets were clean and water filled the well at which women were seated today. There was no dust that littered the pavement, only fallen leaves from trees and freshly printed newspapers on the doorstep of each store. She'd known her country at a time when it was famous for its beauty and richness. It had once been fertile land, and to see it lay waste to rubble and carnage was heartbreaking beyond measure.

While Mia had expected to feel sadness and sorrow upon seeing her birthplace, she didn't comprehend that there would be an overwhelming sense of guilt attached with it. For some reason, when she saw young children taking shelter within the marketplace and women her age scavenging for food from one meal to the next, there was a part of her that hated the fact that she escaped. At the end of the day, this land was her own, as it had been her parents' and their forefathers'. Knowing that she left it at a time where it saw most peril filled her heart with regret and her vision with water. But nevertheless, she was grateful.

"Can't sleep?"

Mia let out a little yelp at the sound of a deep voice, which seemed to be the case most of the time that she and Bucky ever interacted. Now back in her comfortable sleeping clothes, Mia fixed the strap of her singlet and smoothed down her hair at the realisation that she wasn't alone.

"I tried to, but...it's not that easy on the first night."

Mia scooted over to the left side of the steps so that he could take a seat beside her. She was pleasantly shocked that he was even willing to sit within such close proximity. Although the two of them were on good terms and had been growing more comfortable with each other as the days went on, she still got the distinct feeling that he was slightly wary around her. Mia pinned it down to the fact that he didn't know her as well as he knew the others, but somehow, she felt like there was more to it.

"Are you on guard tonight?"

Bucky nodded. "For a little while." Both of them were turned slightly towards one other, but were staring ahead at the full moon that illuminated the treetops. "Is it the same as you remembered?"

Mia looked to him and put on a sad smile. She leant her head on her palm and said, "Not as much as I thought it'd be. I barely recognise the city centre now, they really did a number on it."

Bucky thought that was all she had to say until she spoke again softly, "The people...they've stayed the same though. I forgot how respectful people can be here." Mia laughed bitterly. "There isn't a whole lot of that in Australia or the States."

"Is that why you called the man 'uncle'?"

Mia nodded. "Yeah, that's really common here. You don't address elders just by their first names. There's always gotta be a title," she said. "I've always loved that. It helps you remember your place."

The two elapsed into a comfortable silence as the wind and their breathing punctuated the air's stillness. Mia continued to stare ahead, while Bucky chanced a glance her way and took in her features under the moonlight. Her hair was out and in waves down the length of her back, falling to just above her hip. The paleness of the moon reflected her otherwise bronze skin and highlighted the crevices splayed across her features. Her brown eyes had grown lighter in colour from mirroring the Syrian _kamr_ that hovered above them, and Bucky wasn't sure that he'd ever seen her more sober.

As he tore his eyes away, the final thing he saw was the faint scar that he'd recognised along her right temple. Breaking the silence, he asked, "How'd you get that?"

He pointed to his own temple and Mia brought her hand up to touch her tainted skin. She felt over it a few times before bringing her hands back down and letting a small smile spread across her face. "My brother and I had this weird fascination with rocks when we were younger. We had a big property, so we'd go out into the backyard and look for interesting ones. I think I might've been 4 or 5 when we went out one day and started looking for them, when my brother found this amazing grey one in a small olive tree." Mia closed her eyes as she laughed at the ridiculous memory. "He was so proud of himself and he was about to climb down from the tree, but then a massive crow came and sat on the end of the branch. And anyone that knows Zeyn, knows that nothing scares him more than birds."

Bucky's eyes went up in surprise because, after all, what kind of a person has a fear of birds? He watched Mia try to hone in her laughter, and found himself smiling a little along with her. "So instead of throwing the rock at the bird, he freaked out and threw it towards the ground. And guess which poor girl copped a boulder to the head?" Mia pointed both thumbs to herself and whispered, "This guy."

Bucky let out a little chuckle and Mia was secretly chuffed at that. She looked over his way and noticed that he was wearing a short sleeved shirt that did little to hide his metal arm. Honestly, she was _desperate_ to know more about it; how it worked, if it felt the same as his other one, how much weight it could carry. But the truth was, she noticed that he was always a little closed off about it, and he spent most of his day wearing a glove around it, maybe for the team's sake or maybe for his own.

Mia suddenly remembered that the last time she had seen him that day, he stormed out of the group's meeting rather hurriedly and without a word. She didn't want to ruin the pleasantries they'd been exchanging for the past few minutes, but if she didn't ask now, she probably wouldn't get the chance again.

"Can I ask you something?"

Bucky quietly hummed his agreement. Mia looked up at him while fidgeting with her hands. "Why don't you want to go to the event with me?"

Bucky frowned a little at hearing that, because he only just realised that him walking out on her while she was pitching her idea about the party must've left her with a plethora of unanswered questions. It also might have embarrassed her, and for some reason, the thought left Bucky feeling a little stung.

"It's just that, you're the only person who speaks Arabic besides me and, y'know, the others would get recognised almost immediately, and I didn't wanna put you on the spot but—"

"It's not you." Bucky shook his head and tried to find a way to articulate what he meant. "It's...You're..." Bucky looked up at her and found her staring right back with bated breath and rounded eyes. "You don't know how dangerous it is for you," he said quietly.

Mia's eyebrows shot up. "Dangerous for me? You're the one that has everything to lose if they realise who you are, no one would even suspect me."

He shook his head. "All it takes is one person finding something off about you and they'll be rid of you in seconds."

"But I'll have you guys, and the others are gonna be around the mansion as it is. I'll be safe."

Bucky stayed quiet and tried to listen to Mia's reasoning. He wanted to explain to her why there was a pit in his stomach at the thought of losing someone he was responsible for, but now wasn't the right time.

Mia leaned forward a little and said, "Bucky, I knew what was at stake when I decided to come here. I'm willing to sacrifice just as much as you guys are if it's to do what's right."

Bucky shook his head and stared into the space in front of him. "You have a family to go back to."

"And they'd understand more than anyone why this had to be done," she said in a deliberate tone. "I'm not a highly trained militant, but that's not gonna stop me from doing everything I can to keep Varkey from making that deal. I left my people once, I'm not gonna abandon them again."

That was when Bucky got a glimpse into why Mia was doing what she was doing. Initially, he had thought that she was simply in it to help out her team and to make life that bit easier. But after hearing her, he figured there was something much more deep-rooted about it all, as though there was a sense of guilt at the fact that she made it out before it all went to flames. If anyone understood such a thing as survivor's guilt, it was him.

Blue met brown when Bucky looked her way. "You're not afraid?"

Mia let a lazy smile on her lips. "You guys are gonna protect me, right?"

Bucky nodded lightly.

"Then I'm not the one that needs to watch their backs."

X

 _Hayati_ – (term of endearment) My life

 _Habibi_ – (term of endearment) My love

 _Kamr_ \- Moon


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes: 'Ello, 'Ello, 'Ello! Hope you wonderful people have been doing well, and can we just take a moment to realise that it's DECEMBER?! How crazy is that?! Did November even happen this year?! Anyyyyyyway, here's the next chapter. God, I had so so so much fun writing this and I have a feeling that next week's chapter is gonna be the same! Hope y'all enjoy, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 8

Mia was no stranger to heat. She'd lived in Australia her entire teenage life and was exposed to (in her mind) the hottest conditions in the Southern Hemisphere. Even after moving to D.C. in the middle of one of their hottest summers yet, Mia had acclimated relatively fast and found a way to cope. All in all, she thought she had this whole 'surviving in hot weather' thing sorted out.

And then she came to Aleppo. In June. _Yep, you done got it wrong again, rookie_.

"I can feel my face about to melt off of my skin," she said into the earpiece.

"If there's anyone who doesn't have the right to complain about the weather, it's you. You're _from_ here," replied Nat from the other end of the line.

Mia closed her eyes and wiped the sweat from her forehead with the end of her shawl. "Try telling that to the melanin in my skin. I'm supposed to tan, not turn into Sebastian the Crab."

Mia had been waiting in the small alley next to the bank since 11:50, waiting for Azim to show up. Bucky had told her he'd be somewhere nearby and would follow them wherever Azim took them, trailing a few steps behind. It was now 12:40 and there was still no sign of their magical dress-fairy, and Mia was starting to think that he either forgot, or decided she wasn't worth the time.

"I'm telling you, this guy is shady as fuck, man," said Sam.

"Well, he checks out. Born in Aleppo, went to live in Jordan for 38 years and came back here in the 90's. No known political affiliates or ties to extremist organisations. He's all we have to go off of right now."

Mia leant her head onto the bricked alley wall. "It has to be more than 40 degrees right now. I refuse to believe it's anywhere less than that."

"Y'all Australians need to start using Fahrenheit, man. This Celsius bullshit doesn't make any sense."

Mia smirked and put on the most exaggerated American accent she could muster. "Oh my God, like, it's totally, like, 104 degrees, like...can you, like, believe that?"

Mia could hear Steve laughing in the background, while Sam replied, "...Now that's just racist."

Mia laughed. "Nahh, I actually like it. The first thing I ever heard in an American accent was, 'How do you like them apples?' God, such a classic."

 _Silence._

"Matt Damon? Good Will Hunting? Nope?" Mia exhaled, "C'mon guys, _I'm_ supposed to be the illiterate immigrant in the group, this is getting ridiculous!"

"I've been tryna do this for the last 2 months with them, Mia. They're lost causes, you need to accept that," said Sam in a solemn voice.

Mia shook her head to herself, which may or may not have made her look like a raging psychopath considering that there was no one around her. "I'm gonna survive this damn mission just so that we can go home and make 'em watch every season of 'Friends'. There's no point saving the world if you don't know what it means to 'be on a break'."

Mia was about to list another string of movies and TV shows that the team needed to watch, when the sight of a familiar grey-haired man fell into her line of vision. "Guys, guys. He's here. Okay, he's walking towards the bank, I'm gonna go up to him."

"Alright, wait 'til we get a visual from Barnes," said Nat.

A few moments went by before Bucky spoke into his earpiece, "I see him."

"Alright Mia, go."

Mia straightened her dress and her shawl before walking out of the confines of the alley and into the midday sun. Azim was standing in front of the doors of the destroyed bank and was exhaling a long puff of smoke from his cigarette. He saw Mia approaching and began walking in the direction of another alley, without so much as acknowledging her.

Most of the city's people were sheltering themselves inside broken buildings from the relentless heat, so Mia thought it best to walk behind him at a close but cautious distance. He was making his way to their destination at a languid pace, and Mia guessed it was to deter any prying eyes from rousing suspicion. She did her best to be nonchalant and natural, but it was easier said than done.

Azim made a left at the end of one of the larger alleys and entered the clay-housed part of the city. Mia hadn't had a chance to walk through these areas the day before, but seeing it now was a treat on its own. The walls of the houses passed the 3 metre mark and were joined at each rooftop to make for a constant line of clay homes. The windows that had been carved out let in rays of sun and were the only parts that disrupted the continuity of the yellow clay. The cobblestoned alley that Mia was walking on was littered with rubble from broken pieces of the houses, and if she didn't know any better, she'd have thought they had waltzed right onto the set of 'Prince of Persia'.

When Azim came to a halt at the final house at the end of the alley, Mia lingered a few metres away for a moment. She looked behind her to see if Bucky had trailed them, but he was nowhere in sight. Azim opened the wooden door and gestured for her to follow him inside, walking in himself first, after which Mia spoke to the team one last time.

"Guys, I'm gonna go in. Bucky, you here?", she whispered into the earpiece.

"Let's go," he said from _right_ behind her. Mia being Mia, jumped up 10 feet in the air, not having heard or seen him approaching. "Jesus Chr—C'mon, man." She shot him an exasperated look and he simply stared back in guarded amusement. She shook her head and laughed a little despite herself, walked towards the door and through its threshold.

From the outside, the house didn't seem particularly fancy or well-maintained. But the inside...well, the inside was a whole other story.

"Oh my...God."

The first thing that she saw when she stepped into the two-story house was the _unbelievably_ grandiose set of stairs that sat in the middle of the first floor. The railings were carved in with traditional Syrian designs that spanned across the wood and lead up the balcony of the top level. When Mia finally tore her eyes away, she saw a library's worth of books stacked onto the shelves at the back of the living room. The dining table was splayed with papers and maps, and the entire room was illuminated by the sunlight that was streaming in from shaped windows.

After she'd taken a clean sweep of the room, Mia looked up at the ceiling that she'd neglected and let her mouth gape open unashamedly. The archway that hovered above her was detailed with, what she recognised to be, ancient Syrian designs. There were colourfully intricate drawings and patterns plastered over the ceiling, and it just might have been the most beautiful piece of art she'd ever seen.

While Mia was busy looking like a dying fish with bulging eyes and an open mouth, Azim stood at the bottom of the staircase with his cigarette still in hand, eyeing out the young man that had walked in with her. He stepped around his two guests to shut the front door and waited for Mia to get a grip before he'd say anything.

" _Khaalu_ , your house...it's...how did you maintain it so well?" she asked in Arabic.

Azim laughed and put out his cigarette. "This is not my house, _habibi_. It belongs to my sister. The bombs have not dropped on this side of the city as of yet, and she intends on keeping it whole for as long as she can."

Mia nodded and had almost forgotten that Bucky hadn't met Azim before. _What the hell is the Arabic version of 'Bucky'? Buq-ghey? That's not even a word. Oh, what about for James? Think, Miriya, think._ "Oh, _khaalu_ this is...Yaqub. Yaqub, this is _khaalu_ Azim."

Azim walked the short distance to shake hands with Bucky, and was notably surprised when his hand made contact with a leather glove instead of skin. He looked over Bucky's long hair and European features with a curious eye before asking, "Where are you from?"

Mia was ready to jump in with an excuse about how he could not talk due to a speech impediment if Bucky failed to converse, but to her absolute shock and _pleasant discovery,_ he replied in perfect Arabic, "From Yemen, _khaalu_."

"Ah. Which city?"

"Dhamar, near Aljamarik."

Azim nodded. "And what are you doing in Syria?"

"My aunty lives in Junyad, same as Miriya. We are trying to take her out through Jordan." Bucky gestured to Mia and said, "Her parents asked that someone accompany her from Junyad to here, so I came with her."

Azim seemed content with the answers that Bucky had given him. On the other hand, Mia felt as though she had just been doused in 89 litres of unfiltered petrol and Johnny "The Human Torch" Storm had lit the whole thing on fire. _What the fu—_

"Now, I must confess that I am a novice when it comes to fancy attire. But I do know someone who will be able to help you." With a wave of his hand, Azim began walking up the stairs towards the second floor. Mia was still trying to recover and must have had quite the troubled expression on her face, because Bucky came up next to her and asked quietly, "You good?"

Mia simply looked up at his slightly concerned features and nodded. Afraid that she might say something stupid and have to move to the valleys of Kazakhstan as a result, Mia shut her mouth and hurriedly followed Azim up the footsteps. Bucky trailed closely behind, and by the time all three of them were standing at the front of a pair of doors, Mia's level of anticipation had sky-rocketed to level 9000.

Azim knocked softly on the door before saying quietly, "Samara?"

"It's open, Azim!" came a high-pitched voice from inside the room. Azim pushed on the brass doorknobs and gestured for his guests to enter before him. Mia was the first to walk in and see a lady who shared strikingly similar features to Azim standing in front of her vanity cabinet with about 6 or 7 pairs of skirts in her hand.

When the short, grey-haired woman looked upon Mia, she broke into a charming smile and tossed the clothes in her hand at the closest chair. "Hello, darling! You must be Miriya, Azim told me you'd be coming today." She flung her arms open in a wide hug and embraced Mia, leaving a customary kiss on either cheek before letting her loose. Mia smiled widely, having not been greeted like that in years, and replied, "Thank you for having us here, _khaala_."

The woman waved her hands dismissively. "Nonsense, it's my pleasure." She turned to Bucky who was standing a few steps behind Mia and extended her hand forward. "What is your name, _habibi_?"

Bucky shook her hand softly and replied lowly, "Yaqub, _khaala_."

"Ah, Yaqub." She nodded her head once and said, "Well, you both will have to forgive me for the mess, it has been quite a while since we've had people around here."

"It's no problem, honestly. You are both going above and beyond to help us as it is, I don't know where else I would have been able to get a dress at this time."

Samara smiled so that her eyes crinkled up and said, "Well, you'll have to thank Azim. He'll find a way to help anyone."

Azim shook his head affectionately and said, "Don't ever believe a compliment that is given by a little sister. It is never what it appears to be."

Samira lightly elbowed her brother before looking back at Mia and Bucky's amused faces. "Please come in to the next room, I've pulled out a few of our older clothes that might be useful."

The four of them walked through a connecting door to a large alcove that boasted the same artistry that had been painted on the ceiling. There were lush sofas spread across the corners of the room, and the cushions were beaded with traditional Syrian patterns. The sun was streaming in generously and Mia was temporarily blinded by it before her eyes adjusted and fell upon the 5 _gorgeous_ dresses that were splayed out across the centre-table.

Mia couldn't believe her eyes. The dresses she'd been expecting were of modern, basic styles that allowed her to go unnoticed by whoever was to look at her. But these...these were just something else.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?"

Mia simply nodded dumbly at Samara before slowly stepping closer to them and touching their fabrics. "These are from when I was your age, maybe a little younger. In the 60's, there was no place in the world which could parallel the extravagance of the Syrian people. There were so many parties and events, all needless of course. But dresses like these were a normality back then, unlike those shameful scraps of fabric this young generation calls clothing."

Mia let out a laugh because she was pretty sure she'd heard Nora say the _exact_ same thing once. It was probably a generational thing.

"It's...wow, I don't know how to describe it," said Mia as she palmed the closest dress to her. "But _khaala,_ don't you think it might be a bit...too much? I don't think we'd want to draw too much attention to ourselves at a party we're not invited to."

Samara shook her head quickly. "If you were to see the clothes that the wealthy wear, even during such a time of war, you would be appalled by their extravagance." Mia still seemed a little unsure, so Samara conceded, "There is no rush to make your choice. Try them on, I have a few more that you may like."

Azim turned to Bucky, who had been watching quietly from behind Mia, and said, "Come with me, Yaqub. I have some _thobes_ from my younger days," he looked at Bucky's face and shook his head, "though it is a shame that no one who shares my undeniable handsomeness will be wearing it."

Bucky actually _cracked a smile_ at that, and Mia did bad to stifle the giggle that escaped her lips. He turned to look at her before he followed Azim, and Mia felt a knot form at the thought of him being alone with a full-blooded Syrian when he was relatively limited in his Arabic-speaking abilities.

Mia's anxiety was quite prominent in her lingering look, as it prompted Samara to say, "Don't worry, _habibi_. He will be back soon. I know it is hard to stay away from each other at this young age." She shot Mia a knowing smile and it took her a while to register exactly what she meant.

Mia's eyes widened comically before she began blabbering, "Oh, OH. No _khaala_ , that's not—We're not... I don't even have a...he's not my—"

"Not your husband? Eh, there will be much time for a wedding in the future, enjoy it as it is for now."

Mia closed her eyes and shook her head. "It isn't _anything_ right now, _khaala_."

"Ah, ah, ah," said Samara with a wave of her finger. "Your words tell me one thing, but the colour of your face tells me another, Miriya."

 _Damn you, stupid fricking two-faced cheeks._ She tried to speak up before she was cut off. "It's okay, dear. Shyness is a good thing, it's a sign of modesty." She paused. "And Lord knows that in these dire times, there is need for much more love than what is being given."

Mia saw only sadness in her eyes when she said that, so she thought it best to leave it as it was in her mind. She took in a breath and tried to change the topic so that she could stop looking like a Coca-Cola can. "Have you been to a party held at a politician's house before?"

Samara shook her head. "Only local members of parliament, but never to an Ambassador's mansion. Azim tells me you're confident that you will find a way in. What makes you so sure?"

 _Time to lie your pants off._ "Yaqub might know a few people there. We're hoping it'll be enough."

Samara nodded. "Well, let's pray it is." She stepped towards the dresses and held one up by the neckline. "Shall we begin?"

Mia eyed the slim bodice and the sharp curve of the dress' shape. _How the hell are my birthing hips gonna fit into that?_ Hoping beyond hope that _just one_ of the dresses showed mercy and let her squeeze into them, Mia nodded and began the tenuous job of trialling 9 different outfits.

Half an hour later, Azim had finally managed to find the stored away clothes that had been his, once upon a time. He and Bucky were in the room on the other side of the balcony, silently deciding between the two traditional Syrian _thobes_ that were laid out on the back of the sofa. One was pure white and gold, with a thickly embroided neckline that plunged much further down the chest than Bucky was comfortable with. However, the other was a jet black that was a little larger and more fitted, with grey threading lightly laced into the Y-shaped neckline. If he had to guess, Bucky thought it would be just right for his height, and there was a good chance that it would fit his frame snugly as well. Either way, he sure as hell didn't have many other options to go with.

Azim was standing with his hands crossed over his well-sized potbelly and had a thoughtful look on his face. "The choice is clear. You must go with the white one."

Bucky's eyes widened a bit. "Uh, _khaalu_ I was more inclined to the...black one."

"But it is so plain! You will look like a waiter rather than a businessman." Before Bucky could speak, Azim said, "And what will Miriya think? If you want to impress her, you should do so with the white _thobe_ , Yaqub."

Bucky wasn't one for stammering, but apparently he'd been spending too much time around the aforementioned party. That combined with his mediocre Arabic skills, he was really struggling to form a coherent sentence. "That's not—She isn't...no."

"No?"

Bucky nodded slightly. "No."

Azim laughed as though he was too old to be fooled by a youth in denial. "Okay. Tell me Yaqub, why did you bring Miriya here?"

Bucky answered directly. "Because her family asked me to."

Azim shook his head. "No, her family had asked for _someone_ to bring her to Aleppo. Why did _you_ bring her? Why was it so important that you told them you'd be the one to provide her with protection?"

Bucky was at a bit of a loss as to what he should say. He'd wondered before why there was a pull, but he'd never gone so far as to try and understand it. He blamed it on the conditions under which the two of them met, or the time they had spent since then. But it had to be something more than that. It just _had_ to be.

After a moment's thought, Bucky voiced something to a stranger that he hadn't said to even his closest friend. "She reminded me of someone."

Azim nodded his head. "An old friend?"

Bucky nodded.

"An old love?"

Bucky looked at Azim and tried to find an ulterior motive for which he could use this information. He looked for signs that he'd been trained to identify as dishonesty or a hidden agenda. But when he looked at his wrinkled features and his kind eyes, he saw only an old man who seemed as though he had a regret or two when it came to the topic at hand.

"Yes," he said quietly.

Azim looked down and needlessly polished the glasses that had been hanging from the neck of his t-shirt. "You don't know me, and I don't know you Yaqub. But if there is something I have learnt in my years, it is this." He looked up and stilled his movements. "Do not mistake the present for the past. Only a fool tries to relive what has already gone, and if you allow it to continue for long enough, it will consume you."

Bucky blinked at the simplicity at the words. He also mulled over the innate truth in them. "Whoever she was...do not let Miriya live in her shadow. Whatever you may have promised her, you did not promise Miriya. Don't make her wonder why she could not live up to the memory of someone in your mind."

"I'm only here to protect her. Nothing more."

Azim let out a small laugh and an exaggerated sigh. "You say this because you do not see." He nodded and smiled a knowing smile. "Someday, you will see."

The two elapsed into silence for a few moments before Azim clapped his hands together and said, "You may try it on in the next room."

"That's okay, I don't think I need to."

"What if the size is not correct?"

"It'll be fine." Azim eyed him skeptically. "Thank you, _khaalu_."

Azim's brows softened at that and he gave a smug nod of acknowledgement. The quiet of the room was interrupted by Samara calling out, "Azim! Did you find anything?"

"We did. It's the _thobe_ I wore for Susanna's wedding," he called out.

"What?"

"The _thobe_ I wore for Susanna's wedding!"

"For what? I can't hear you, Azim!"

"For Su—Oh God. Come, Yaqub." Azim began walking out of the room as Bucky followed with the black _thobe_ clasped in his still-gloved right hand. They made their way to the room in which they'd left Samara and walked in to see Mia looking slightly more tired than before, with an outfit of her own folded over her arms.

"I _said_ that he chose the _thobe_ I wore to Susanna's wedding. Remember? In '79?"

Samara's face lit up with realisation. "Ah, yes! Oh, he'll look so very handsome in it." She walked her 5'2, chubby frame to Bucky's much larger one and grasped his _right_ forearm. _Thank God_.

She stood on her toes to whisper conspiratorially into Bucky's ear. He'd been watching her with a mild level of alarm mixed with a little amusement, but his face fell serious when she spoke her words just softly enough so that no other occupant of the room could hear.

Bucky looked slowly at Mia and she quirked an eyebrow as if to say 'what is this cute old lady telling you, and why do you look like somebody just stole your left kidney?'

As Samara drew away, Bucky looked down at her giddy expression and let out a small smile to appease her. She instantly started bouncing on the balls of her feet, still eagerly clutching onto Bucky's arm, and Mia's confusion only increased as she watched the situation unfold before her. Bucky still looked slightly affected (either in a good way or a bad way) by what she'd whispered to him, and Mia decided that she couldn't stand not knowing what it was. She'd try and get it out of him later, but that would be a task all on its own.

"Come Miriya, we will have some tea. I don't know what the conditions are in Junyad, but I'm sure that tea is not a privilege that you acquire very often."

"Oh no _khaala_ , we really can't take up anymore of your time. You've already been so gracious," said Mia, hoping that she wouldn't have to spend too long convincing her.

"Nonsense! The day is still young, and there is much to talk about." She looked at Mia with pleading eyes and it was clear that she genuinely wanted to spend more time in their company. Mia figured it might have been the first time in a long time that she'd had the chance to do so. Nevertheless, they had a schedule that they had to stick to.

" _Khaala_ , I'm afraid we have to go. There are a few things we need to do before the party."

Samara's face fell visibly and it broke Mia's heart to see someone who had helped her so selflessly, feel like that as a result of her doing. Before she could try and appease her, Mia was cut off by Bucky softly saying, "We'll come back before we leave for Junyad, _khaala_. I'll make sure she sees you." He gave her a small but there smile and was returned with a much brighter one.

"I will hold you to that promise, Yaqub," she said, waving a finger at him.

He nodded. "As you should."

Mia was undoubtedly shocked at the fact that Bucky had offered such a thing, especially when it was her understanding that they were trying to limit their frequency to the city. She figured that maybe he had said it to momentarily console her while they made their escape, but he had spoken with such sincerity that she couldn't be too sure.

"I can't thank both of you enough for what you've done." Mia turned to Azim and said, "Especially you, _khaalu_. You didn't have to tell me about the event, but please believe me when I say that it will help more people than you know."

Azim nodded and looked down at his shabby shoes. "You might have the chance to leave here with your family, Miriya. Make it worthwhile."

By nature, Mia wasn't a dishonest person. She didn't like the feeling she got when she had to formulate a lie, nor when she was being deceitful. No matter the cause or how much it may benefit the situation, it never quite felt right.

She put on a convincing smile and said, "I will, _khaalu_."

Samara placed Mia's new dress into brown parcel paper so the dirt from the streets wouldn't have a chance to make its way onto it. The two foreigners spoke their final words of goodbye to Azim and Samara, and within a few minutes, they were back in the city centre.

Bucky fell back into his usual incognito style of trailing Mia, so she was walking alone along the unusually quiet streets of Aleppo. The dress she was wearing probably weighed 3 pounds heavier due to the sheer amount of dust that was collected on it, and her shawl had already been snagged of a few threads as it got caught on different things in her path. But through it all, she kept the rectangular parcel with her dress inside tucked snugly under her arm, away from view.

She walked slowly and thoughtfully, before she finally made it to the buildings on the outskirts and waited for Bucky to fall into step alongside her. She was palming the long grass that came up to her knees when she heard the sound of rubble crunching behind her. She turned around to look at her companion, and gave him a small nod before continuing on their way.

Bucky kept his head down as they walked, feeling as though he'd accomplished more in that day than they'd initially set out to do. He'd met a few of the locals and his instincts told him that they could be trusted. But beyond that, he'd had someone like Azim speak so frankly to him that it shook the status quo of what he was used to.

Steve, Sam and Nat were always wary of him. They did their best to refrain from getting on his nerves, and he noticed that even after the few months they'd spent together, they subtly treated him as though he was a volatile subject. Sure, he understood why. But hearing Azim give his advice so freely and without fear of how he may react...it almost made Bucky feel like his past was hidden here.

He thought about Carmella. When she'd died, Bucky hadn't been given the luxury to mourn her passing before he was flung onto the frontlines with the Commandoes. All he knew was that they would storm one village to the other in the search for Hydra's soldiers, and the time he had in between was spent planning their next attack. In a way, he'd preferred that. Back then, he barely got enough time to be along with his thoughts, but since he'd been recovering more and more of his memories, the grounding realisation that she was gone had hit him unforgivably.

Mia's presence felt like his redemption. It was his chance to protect a person and make up for the one he'd failed to do so with all those years ago. But Azim's words remained. _Only a fool tries to relive what has already gone_.

He'd thought that Mia and Carmella were similar. He'd wanted to see Mia as Carmella had been, someone who depended on him unwaveringly, someone who couldn't get by on her own. If he was being honest, he wanted to believe that she needed his presence to achieve whatever good she could. But as he walked alongside her under Syria's scorching sun, a million miles from home and all for the sake of her desire to help people she didn't even know, he couldn't deny the nagging feeling that they were worlds apart.

"Y'know, when you told me that you knew Arabic, I thought you knew how to read it." Mia held a hand above her eyes to shield them from the sun as she looked up at Bucky's profile. "I didn't expect you to go full Aladdin and know how to speak it fluently."

Even though he had no idea what an 'Aladdin' was, Bucky looked at her and shrugged nonchalantly. "Half of my missions were in the Middle East." Mia nodded in understanding and thought that silence would ensue, but for the first time since she'd met him, his eyes took on a slightly mischievous glint as he said, "You've got a lotta bad guys over here."

Mia's eyes widened slightly as she let out a goofy laugh, realising that he might have made his first legitimate joke in front of her. "Well, I can't deny that. I think we made up for it with our food, though. If America's gotta thank us for anything, it's for introducing them to chicken shawarma."

Bucky hesitated. "I haven't...tried that one yet."

 _Cue the part where Mia let's her mouth hang open like a clown machine at a festival._ "You...have never had a shawarma?" Bucky nodded. "What—What did you guys even _eat_ in the 40's?!"

"I don't think there were too many Arabs in Brooklyn at the time," he deadpanned.

Mia shook her head. "Okay, yeah, that makes sense. But, you've been living with Steve for a few months now. Haven't you ever tried it with him?"

Bucky shook his head. Mia let out a deep sigh. "Wow, this is sacrilege. That's it, then. That's the first thing you're gonna eat the minute we get out of this place."

Bucky looked at her and said, "What is it?"

"A shawarma is pretty much some really soft bread that has your choice of meat in it, but let's be honest, chicken is the only way to go. Then you add some lettuce, tomato, things like that into it. But the best combination is tabouli, feta cheese, hummus, garlic sauce and sweet chilli." Mia let out an inhuman sound as she thought about the taste of the imaginary shawarma. "You don't understand, there aren't words in the English language that can do it justice. It's _that_ good."

Bucky was pleasantly surprised at how animated she became when she was talking about something as mundane as food. He also noted a slight change in her demeanour as she spoke to him. Her shoulders were less tensed and her frame wasn't as rigid as it had been in their first few initial meetings. Bucky filed that bit of information away and hoped to keep it going. "So it's a...sandwich?"

Mia looked at him incredulously. "Oh my G—It's not _just_ a sandwich, it's a wrap that's got chicken that's been marinated in a bunch of exotic spices, mixed with fresh veggies and rich sauces."

"So...a sandwich?"

Bucky let out an imperceptible grin at the playfully annoyed look on her face. "You're talkin' smack because you haven't tried it yet. I'll be the first one to laugh when it _completely_ ends up changing your life."

The two fell into stride as they meandered through grassy plains on the final 300 metres of their journey back to the makeshift headquarters. Mia had her eyes trained to the ground as she was lost in thought about what the Ambassador's party would include. She wondered what that part of Syria looked like, and how she'd fit in to the mix of people in the room. Her thoughts wandered to what she'd look like in her dress, which she'd admittedly fallen in love with in an instant, and whether she could pass off as a young debutant of the city.

As she became slightly more aware of her companion's proximity, she wondered what he'd look like in his chosen outfit, whether he'd blend into the setting or stand out as an outsider. Her mind drifted further as she questioned whether he'd look handsome, as he did when he donned everyday clothes. As she felt a warm blush creep onto her cheekbones, she shook her head slightly and tried ridding herself of the unwelcome idea. _Why is that thought_ _even entering your mind? Don't worry, it's the sun. It's the sun, matched with the fact that you heard him speak your language today and he just cracked a joke and you need to relax. This is what teammates do. I know what you're thinking, and I want you to stop thinking it. Right. Now._

Just as Mia was finishing up her internal conflict, she was suddenly being pulled by a set of firm hands behind the back of a tree that she had just passed. The moment was followed by a barrage of sounds, mostly of bullets being fired into the air. The sound penetrated Mia's mind just as it had all those years ago in the very same city, but she barely had time to register the memory as she felt her back hit the dusty ground with a loud _thud_ and a heavy body shield itself on top of her.

Mia's eyes widened as she watched Bucky with his hands on the ground resting on either side of her head, and his gaze fixed on the patrol van that had just blazed by them with at least 10 soldiers on board. Mia tried to get a better look at the scene, but the tall grass that surrounded her head obstructed her vision, leaving her to simply gauge Bucky's reaction as his face hovered only centimetres above hers.

His jaw was clenched and his eyes were unmoving as he watched the vehicle make its way speedily towards the city centre. He saw men in Syrian Armed Forces uniforms with balaclavas wrapped on a few of their mouths and AK-12's held valiantly in their hands. His blood boiled at the thought of what they had the power to do to the people who remained in the city, but Nat had told them that routine weekly patrols were made to each town, purely for the satisfaction of Parliament members.

He huffed out a small breath when he was satisfied that they'd gone undetected under the cover of the thick oak tree, and it wasn't until he looked down that his features became even more rigid than before. Mia was looking up at him with anticipation and slight alarm, but the blush that she'd attempted to fight off just moments ago had reappeared in full swing as she lay underneath him, tucked safely from possible danger. Her shawl had slipped back and off of her head, so her hair was splayed messily across the ground, with small pieces of grass stuck charmingly to her locks. Her breathing was still uncontrolled, and if Bucky had the presence of mind, he'd have felt embarrassed at the length of time they spent in such a compromising position.

"I...Thanks," said Mia softly.

Bucky lowly cleared his throat and heaved off of her, reaching out his hand in a silent offer. Mia looked up at him in mild shock, before grabbing on and being pulled up by him as though she weighed no more than a feather.

As she fixed her shawl and dress, Mia said, "I was wondering when the S.A.F. would show up."

Bucky straightened out the collar of his jacket before setting off in the direction they were originally headed for. "It's a fear tactic, that's why they do patrols from town to town. That's what Nat said."

Mia jaw clenched as she nodded and followed closely behind him. "I guess not much's changed."

Bucky snuck a glance at her face and saw it fallen. He understood her silence and thought it best to leave it at that for the remainder of the short distance. It wasn't more than a few minutes before they were walking into the suburb they'd inhabited, towards the home where Steve, Sam and Nat were currently devising a plan on how to get to Abu Jurayn as quickly as possible.

"We can jack a car from anywhere, that's not the problem. We just need to figure out where the checkpoints are, we can't get through those undetected," said Steve as he looked at the map spread out in front of him.

Nat kicked up a chair next to him and sat on it backwards. "There's one checkpoint about 15 miles from here, and another just before the Ambassador's mansion. The only other way to get there is by going through the dirt track, and I doubt we'll find a ride that can take that sorta damage."

Steve shook his head. "We're not going through the checkpoints, that's non-negotiable. We don't need someone seeing us and starting rumours about how American forces have infiltrated Syrian borders. We'll take our chances with the off-road tracks. How long will it take?"

Nat shrugged. "About 3 hours. Where are we getting the car from?"

Sam replied, "I got satellite images of an old garage on the other side of the city. I don't know if there's anything left there, but it's worth a shot."

Steve nodded. "We'll leave at midnight. No point going now."

Just as he finished speaking, the group heard the front door rustling and the footsteps of two people entering soon after. Bucky and Mia's sun-kissed faces were beheld by the team as they walked into the room. Nat was the first to quirk a small smile and say, "You ladies have fun shopping?"

Mia smiled widely while Bucky simply glared. "Nat, you should've seen this lady's dress collection, oh my _God_. And her house looked like a palace, I didn't even know they had places like that left in Aleppo."

She sat down on the chair next to Nat and took off her shawl before downing about half a litre of water in one go.

Nat touched the parcel in which Mia's dress was wrapped. "You found something?"

Mia nodded as she not-so-femininely wiped the water on her mouth with the back of her hand. "It's this gorgeous traditional dress. It reminded me of my mum's wedding dress so much, and it was one of the few that fit really well, so..."

Nat nodded understandingly. Sam then grinned slyly as he looked at Bucky. "How'd you go in your Arabic test, _Yaqub_?"

He shrugged. "Okay."

Mia scoffed. "It was more than okay, I could barely tell him apart from a proper Yemeni, let alone Azim. It was awesome."

The whole room looked at her in quiet surprise. Mia flushed a little under their combined gazes and backtracked a little, "Y'know, considering he hasn't had a lot of practice and he's Russian—Well, he's not Russian but he lived in Russia, he's American but, he's not Syrian or Yemeni and—"

"Don't pull a muscle there, Mia," said Sam with a little grin.

 _Just drop a boulder on my head. Just do it._

Steve, being the ever-gracious saviour that he was, diverted the conversation. "We're leaving for Abu Jurayn first thing in the morning. It'll take a few hours to get there, but it'll give us time to set up shop near the mansion."

"Conveyance?" asked Bucky.

"We'll jack a car from the city at night, make sure it has enough gas to last the trip. It's only 50 miles but it's rough terrain."

As the group continued discussing their plans, Mia felt herself zone out as the onset of a brain-splitting headache made its way across her skull. She'd been prone to migraines before, so she knew when she was about to get a major one. Unfortunately, medicine just didn't seem to work too well for her. It was one of those things that 2 litres of water and at least 10 hours of sleep did wonders for, but she knew she'd have to get a wriggle on if she wanted it gone by the morning.

"-ia? Mia? Earth to Miriya. Hey?" Sam had called her name a few times when he noticed her eyes become slightly glazed and out of focus. When he came to stand in front of her and waved a hand near her face, she snapped out of her pain-induced trance and looked up at him. "What?"

"You thinkin' about some lasagne or something? We lost you there for a second, you okay?"

Mia shook her head. "I'm fine, I think...I think I'm about to get a major migraine. I can literally feel it behind my eyes."

Sam straightened up. "Go on upstairs and get some rest. We'll wake you up in the morning if you're not up before then."

"But—"

"Don't sweat it, Mia. There's nothing left for you to do today," said Steve.

Mia let out a deep breath. "Alright, but please just wake me if there's something that you need me to do, yeah?"

Nat nodded. "We will."

Mia heaved her suddenly heavy body off of the chair and wiped the sweat that had dampened her forehead. She made her way slowly to the edge of the staircase before letting out a little laugh as the sun streamed in from the window nearby. "Well, g'night guys," she said with a small grin.

The others repeated her sentiment and she walked up the stairs to her resting place, but not before sneaking a glance at the man she'd been travelling with for the past few days. He was listening intently to something that Steve was saying, with his hands folded across his broad chest and his brows furrowed slightly in concentration. Mia's already bleary head felt a little fainter as she tore her eyes away and walked into the small room at the end of the hallway, all but collapsing onto the makeshift bed she'd constructed on the floor.

It didn't take more than a few minutes for her to fall into the deep slumber she'd hoped for, but unfortunately, it brought upon the kind of dream that was more of a memory than a figment of her imagination.

It was after the stroke of midnight and Steve had left with Natasha to find any vehicle that could journey them from Point A to Point B in the city. Sam and Bucky had stayed behind, with the former having passed out on the bottom floor as the result of some much needed sleep. He might have been surrounded by super soldiers and trained assassins who could survive without a nap here and there , but Sam sure as hell couldn't.

Bucky was in charge of manning the fort while two of his roommates rested within it. He was currently seated on the floor of the tarnished kitchen, alongside broken pots and smashed plates, sharpening his handiest dagger under a faint lamp light. His thoughts wandered to the day's happenings, and to what the next day would hold. He'd recovered a memory only a few hours earlier, of a fire that had spread in the apartment above Steve's when they were 19 years old. Something about the constant smell of smoke and ash that lingered in Aleppo's air was surely the cause of it, and Bucky wondered how many more memories he'd relive as a result.

It was only a little after the clock struck 1am that he heard a blood-curdling scream come from the second level of the house. He dropped the stone he'd been using to sharpen his blade and kept the weapon tucked neatly next to his thigh as he shot up and barrelled his way up the rickety stairs.

The feminine screams grew quieter as he approached the room Mia had been sleeping in, and just as his mind began to assume the worst, he barricaded through the door to find Mia lying on the ground, with her eyes completely shut and her hands forming knots in the pillow she rested on.

As Bucky swiftly made his way over to her side, he tucked away the knife and hovered his hands unsurely above her shoulder. Just as he thought that her nightmare had finished, she began whimpering, with fresh tears streaming from her lashes.

"Mama, _min fadlik_. Papa. Papa!" she screamed.

Bucky looked on with helpless concern as she tossed feverishly and with no sign of awaking by herself. He brought his hands to her shoulders as he tried to rouse her by saying, "Mia, Mia wake up. Mia."

He began to shake her softly, and continued to do so until she finally opened her eyes in a blurry haze, calling out for her mother one last time.

"No, n—What...Buc—What happened?"

Mia sat up a little too quickly and wiped at her eyes to clear her vision. She looked at Bucky, who was still balancing on his toes with a concerned expression on his face. "It's alright, you just had a dream."

Mia's brows furrowed as the nightmare she'd just lived flooded back into her mind, with all the clarity and accuracy that one would expect from a memory.

Fresh tears blurred her vision as she brought a hand up to her mouth and shook her head. "Oh my God." She didn't even try to wipe at the tears falling onto her cheeks. Her chin quivered and she tried desperately to mask just how much the memory was affecting her, but her efforts were futile when the images latched onto her mind with a vengeance. "Every fucking time."

She brought up her knees to her chest as she let her elbows rest on them, with her hands covering her face. Bucky heaved a small breath and looked around him, clearing the little pieces of sharp rubble that lay waste near his feet and mimicking the way she was seated. His expression grew slightly pained at seeing someone he knew to be overtly happy and joyous, looking more broken than he'd ever seen her.

They sat like that for a few silent moments, with the occasional sound of Mia sniffling or her wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her dress breaking the quiet. When she finally got a control of her breathing and trusted herself not to burst into a new set of tears, Mia brought her hands down and hugged her knees even closer to chest as she looked up at the only other occupant in the room.

She let out a sad laugh when she saw Bucky staring at her as though he was afraid that the slightest intensity in his gaze might shatter her into pieces. She looked down at the dress that was now completely crinkled and dirtied as a result of her sleeping in it, and said, "Now it's starting to look like something I'd normally wear," she said with a weak smile.

Bucky didn't respond to that with anything but an imperceptible softening of his features. Mia looked down at her bent knees and drew invisible circles into the palm of her hand, willing away the air of nervousness that punctuated their environment.

Bucky wanted her to be the one to break the silence. More than the fact that he wouldn't know _what_ to say, he hoped that whichever way they went forward from here, she'd be the one to dictate it. He wanted to know what she'd dreamed about, what it was that reduced someone like her to uncontrollable tears and cries. If he was being honest, he wanted to know a lot of things about her. So he'd wait, he'd wait for her to divulge them. And when she began, the words flowed freely.

"I think it was because of the bullets," she said softly.

Bucky furrowed his brows, but waited for her to continue. She looked up at him and said, "The ones we heard today, from the soldiers. I think it's because of them."

Bucky assumed that she was talking about what induced the sort of dream she'd experienced. He cleared his dry throat quietly and asked, "Does it always happen?"

She let out a breath and smiled feebly. "Only on the bad days."

Bucky nodded slightly and looked down. "You said their names. While you were asleep."

She swallowed. "It's the first time anyone's been around to listen." She paused. "It's the first time I've heard a gunshot since then. Well, in real life anyway."

Bucky looked at her expectantly, with the moonlight streaming through the window reflecting his blue eyes with a warm fervour. Mia didn't want to rehash the details of that fateful day, but if there was one thing that she had learnt from her years of studying the human psyche, it was that few things destroyed a person as quickly as hiding away destructive feelings.

The story of her parents' death was vaguely known by her team, but she had never taken the time to recount it fully. Perhaps she'd thought that they wouldn't care for the details too much. But when she had Bucky sitting in front of her in the early hours of the morning with anticipation riddled into his features, she found it hard to believe that he didn't want to know.

"It happened at the City Hall. It's...actually not too far from where we went today. My parents and my brother were with me, we'd been staying there for a few days, waiting for the bus to come that took people who'd been sponsored on their way to the Jordanian border." She steadied her breathing. "There were a few other families there, some kids as well. It was pretty early in the morning, 4 or 5. We had our bags packed and we were supposed to leave that day."

While Mia's eyes wandered from her hands to the window and sometimes to her companion, Bucky's never left hers as he filed away each detail she provided, knowing that it wasn't a story she told often.

"They came in, all uniformed and armed. We'd seen the leader of that squadron a few times before in the past year. He'd gotten into a few arguments with my dad, nothing too serious though. But that day, he saw all the luggage we had with us and he just," Mia shrugged, "snapped."

She picked at the dirt that had collected under her nails. "They told him...that people fighting for the Resistance were to be killed on sight. My dad tried to explain that we were legally documented to leave the country, but he took one look at the papers and told papa that he was a traitor to his nation." Mia looked up to his eyes and said, "What worse crime could there be than that?"

Bucky knew all too well about the sinking feeling that came with such a stigma, but he remained intent on the story at hand. "He started yelling at him, just going crazy. _'Hal ant khayyif min almawt?'_ 'Are you afraid of death?' They kept waving the gun at him and asking him that, over and over and over. And then finally...they started firing."

By this time, a steady stream of tears had salted Mia's lips, with her lashes sticking together and her cheeks bearing their lines. "My mum...God, she loved him so much. She loved him _too_ much. She went and stood in front of him, even though they'd killed him with the first bullet. But...she didn't hesitate and...neither did they."

In Bucky's 50 years as the Soldier, he'd witnessed _and_ committed acts that surpassed the bounds of human morality, time and time again. He'd known of people killing for power and money, even commodities. But this battlefield...this new war that he found himself in the middle of perplexed him unwaveringly. The suffering of these people was relentless, and had been occurring in the background for more than a decade...and yet, the whole world was silent about it. The rich fought for power, while the powerless paid the price. It was a jarring truth, and Bucky couldn't help but wonder how many families there were just like Mia's, filled with unspoken goodbyes and riddled with injustice.

And at the end of the day, she still managed a smile throughout it all.

As Mia remained quiet, Bucky asked the question that lingered in his mind. "How'd you make it out?"

"There were a lot of orphaned kids that slept in the City Hall, so when they heard gunfire, they ran towards us and...the soldiers just left. My brother and I waited for the bus to come that day and...we found our way to our uncle. Been with him ever since."

Bucky nodded slightly. Mia brought her knees down and sat cross-legged, with her head leant against the cracking white wall behind her. She closed her eyes and felt inexplicably lighter after having someone other than herself to share those thoughts with, almost as if the burden was partially shared now that she wasn't the only one who knew. She couldn't describe the feeling, so she didn't attempt to. All she knew was that she was grateful for her present company.

Bucky's mind was reeling after all that he'd just heard. The thought of the pain Mia had gone through, that she continued to go through, all at the hands of people she'd never see again. But it didn't matter that it was someone he knew; it could've been anyone in the world with the same story, but injustice was injustice no matter which soil it happened on. The honest truth was that the part of Bucky that he sought to hide and wished would wither away, wanted desperately to lay his hands on the soldiers Mia spoke of. Perhaps that bloodlust would always be natural to him, and maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

Mia was the one to break the silence a few moments later. "Thank you. For waking me and...for staying. You didn't have to."

Bucky mulled over his words before he spoke them. "I wanted to."

Those three words warmed Mia's heart more than they probably should have, and she thanked the night's dark cover for hiding the tinge of colour that spread across her features. The two of them sat in a comfortable silence for what could have been ages, before they heard the distinct sound of a car making its way down the street and to the front of the house. Bucky got up and sneaked a look through the window next to him, making sure that it was, in fact, their two other teammates.

As she heard the sound of 2 car doors opening and closing, Mia waited in her seated position for Bucky's reaction. He brought his head back and away from the window before nodding at her and saying, "They're back."

X

 _Min fadlik_ – Please


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes: Hiyaaaa everybody! Just wanna say a massive thank you for the follows and reviews, it all means so much more to me than y'all know! :')))) Uber excited for this week's chapter, I hope it's one that y'all are gonna like. Just in case anyone wanted to know what I had in mind for Mia's dress, the link is in the comments because for some reason it won't let me post it in the notes?!** **This one isn't Syrian, but I couldn't find the original photo of the dress I was imagining so I hope this one does alright! Thanks againnnn babes. Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 9

"Please don't tell me that I have to get changed behind a tree."

Nat shrugged her shoulders in a 'what are ya gonna do?' type of way before replying, "Would you rather get changed in a car where the windows aren't tinted?"

Mia weighed up her two options. The dress she had chosen wasn't particularly flow-y, but it was of floor-length with a tail than would drag behind her as she walked. Sure, it would be close to impossible fitting into it in the crappy SUV they'd arrived in, but the thought of having to be mostly naked with her team around her, in _daylight,_ with only a tree to cover her was terrifying.

"Will you relax? The guys are busy setting up the comms system, it'll take 2 minutes tops."

Mia groaned softly. "Okay, no, you're right. Uh, should I put it on now, or...?"

"We have less than two hours before most of the guests arrive, so you should probably be ready by 6."

Mia nodded. "Alright, sounds good."

When Steve and Nat had arrived back at the house in the early hours of the morning, Mia, Sam and Bucky had about 10 minutes to gather all of their supplies and hit the road. The team got prepared in record time and readied themselves for what was a _tiring_ journey to their destination of Abu Jurayn.

The roads were terrible, the lighting was even worse and due to it being night-time, the team had to be extra vigilant of car-jackers on the isolated slopes they were travelling. Through hell or high water, they were able to make their way to Abu Jurayn unscathed and just after midday, at which point they discussed the mission at length, specifically because it was Mia's first time in the direct line of fire.

As Steve and Nat spoke, Mia listened intently and with verve as she tried to soak in all the important information she'd need to know. There were the basic rules, such as the strict 'no English unless absolutely necessary policy', and the more atypical ones, such as not dancing with any man that offered and refraining from eating any food that she may be given by a stranger.

Throughout it all, Mia felt progressively like more and more of a badass, and she was equal parts excited and nervous as to how it would all play out. Nevertheless, the team assured her that all she needed to do was to stick the bug in the Ambassador's study and to casually mingle with guests that could have _any_ information as to when the deal would take place. They obviously wouldn't give her a time and a place, but even the smallest of hints make a difference sometimes.

She'd resisted the urge to vomit 3 times so far, but when Nat approached her with what looked like a torture device (it was a hair straightener) and a tool box (it was a make-up kit), Mia's face paled more than it had all day.

"Oh God, this is happening. This is really happening."

"Hey, hey, look at me." Mia's doe eyes stared nervously at Nat's. "Breathe. You're going to a party. This isn't anything that you haven't done before."

Mia closed her eyes and with an exhale said, "Goddamn it, I know. Ahh, I know, I'm not being smart. Alright. It's fine. We're fine." Giving herself a little shake, Mia looked at the aforementioned items in Nat's hands. "I think it might be a _little_ hard finding a power-point to plug the straightener into."

Nat rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "That's why we don't need one. It's portable." Nat brought it up to show her. Mia's eyes widened as she said, "I didn't even think those existed."

"Well, we didn't know Norse Gods existed until 2 years ago, so I guess the jokes on all of us. Now, turn around."

Mia obliged. "What are you gonna do to it? Is it gonna be super straight? Super curly? Super in-the-middle?"

Nat tugged on her hair a little and got an exaggerated cry of pain from Mia in return. "Has anyone ever told you that you ask a lot of questions?"

Mia smiled a little proudly and asked in feign offense, "What? Did someone say that to you? Who?!"

Mia smiled giddily when she looked back and saw an amused grin on Nat's face as she forcefully turned Mia's head into the right position. She still had to pinch herself in moments like these, where someone she'd looked up to for so long was seemingly comfortable around her, helping her with things that friends would normally help her with. She was in her homeland, amid a team of highly trained professionals who had sought out _her_ help for something. The surreal nature of her situation wasn't lost on her, and what was even stranger was that she could slowly but surely feel herself becoming a small part of what their group comprised of. It wasn't a lot, but it sure was something.

Just as Nat began separating her hair into different parts, Sam came waltzing towards them from the car they'd set up their surveillance systems in.

"Look at you, gettin' all dolled up for your party. Now, I want that young man to have you back by 11 and not a minute later, no funny business," said Sam as he pointed at her with a stern look on his face.

Mia laughed despite herself. "You're so full of it, Wilson."

"Can't really blame me, though. And hey, I want you to be careful. Not just about his guards, but some of these high profile politicians and business dudes think they own anything they set their sights on. Don't be surprised if they try to approach you, just stick with Barnes and they should get the message. But play nice, we can't afford any unwanted attention."

Mia had been so caught up in trying not to forget about the details of bugging the Ambassador's office that she'd _completely_ forgotten that there would, in fact, be other people attending this whole shindig as well. "Yeah, no you're right. Wow, that completely slipped my mind."

Nat shrugged from behind Mia. "I wouldn't be too worried. I've seen you fighting, I'm sure you'll do fine."

Mia felt a little warm and fuzzy at hearing that, until her brows furrowed. "Wait...when have you ever seen me fighting?"

"At the tournament."

 _Whaaaaat?_ "But...but I thought Bucky was the only one who came to the tournament."

"He was the only one that approached you. I wasn't just gonna sit in the car for 2 hours." Mia looked back with a slightly bewildered look, and was matched with a small grin from Nat. "Impressive technique, by the way."

Mia giggled like a 6 year old. "Wow, thank you."

"All I'm saying is that if a guy comes up to you and asks if he can show you his private jet or 'take you on a magic carpet ride', say no. Just say no."

Mia deadpanned, "Well now that you've told me, I guess I'll resist the urge to say yes."

Sam smiled smugly. "Thatt'a girl."

As Sam was called over by Steve to take a look at something, Mia relaxed into the foldable chair she was sitting in while Nat went about fixing her hair. She was expertly good at it, but Mia had a thought. "Y'know, I hate that they never show this part of a mission in movies. They always make it seem like the leading females just _magically_ look so put together and smokin'. This literally takes ages, and the world will never know the truth."

"It's taking longer with you because your hair almost goes down to your hip. I don't know how you handle this thing."

Mia laughed. "That's because you haven't seen me with short hair. I look like Marv from Home Alone after he gets electrocuted. And I know you haven't seen it, which should be a federal crime, but the reference will make sense to you one day."

Nat fiddled with her hair for a few more minutes before getting Mia to turn her chair around so she could begin her makeup. "So, you just gonna put on some mascara and lip gloss, yeah?"

Nat smirked. "Not exactly. You can't go in there looking like you haven't beat your face for a good hour or so. The women that you'll meet need to believe that you belong there."

Mia gulped. _This should be fan-flipping-tastic_.

A good half an hour or so of squirming in her seat and huffing every time that Nat asked her to open her eyes so she could apply some mascara, Mia thanked the very Heavens above when she was finished. Before she had a chance to ask for a mirror, Nat looked down at her watch and said, "Alright, time to get your dress on."

The two women made their way behind the aforementioned tree, with Nat holding onto Mia's dress and opening the zip so that she could step into it. Mia peeked behind the tree one last time to make sure that the fellas wouldn't be making any impromptu visits, before ripping off her top and jeans quicker than ever. Nat saw the detailed, lacy bra set that Mia had donned and raised an amused eyebrow. Reddening like a beetroot, Mia said, "I packed them just in case...y'know...I don't know why, but just in case, alright! I can't exactly wear my old sports bra under this dress."

"I'm glad you did. For, y'know, _just in case_."

Before Mia had any time to ask her what the hell she was talking about, Nat helped her step into the skirt part of the dress, and then slipped on the top half. She was careful not to fidget with her hair too much, and doubly careful not to mess up the makeup that she'd endured getting put on.

About 15 metres away, Bucky had put on his _thobe_ and was standing in front of the car's side mirror with a comb in one hand and a hair tie in the other. Sam had told him not to shave the lengthened scruff that had grown on his face, saying that it would help him seem a little more local. Now with a decent amount of product in his hair, Bucky pulled it back and secured it in a low bun at the base of his head. Regardless of his efforts, there were a few pieces that kept escaping the hair tie, so he tucked them behind his ears and went about fiddling.

"You've been doing your hair for 15 minutes, Buck. There isn't all that much else you can do with it," said Steve as he sat on the hood of the car in his tactical gear. Bucky shot him an unimpressed glance and continued anyway, ignoring his best friend when he murmured, "70 years later and nothing's changed."

Sam emerged from the other side of the car holding a protein bar in one hand and his ear piece in the other. "Man, I think my ear piece stopped...working."

Sam's sentence was cut off when he looked up to see a _completely_ unrecognisable Mia walking towards them with Nat holding up the tail of her dress from the back.

Steve was the next to notice Sam's line of vision, and had a similar open-mouthed reaction when he beheld what was in front of him. Bucky was oblivious to the entire situation as he was still hunched in front of the side mirror with a comb running through his hair, flattening it out and keeping it in place as much as possible. It was only when he registered that everything was _suddenly_ very quiet, that he turned to look at what his teammates were staring at.

And boy oh boy, he was _not_ expecting that.

Mia was standing a few metres away, donned in a _dangerously_ fitted traditional Syrian dress that hugged every curve that the team didn't know she had. It was a 2 piece dress that had a short sleeved crop, beaded with deep golden sequencing along the neckline and the stomach line. It fit Mia _to a T_ and it only got better as their eyes trailed down the skirt.

The skirt was high waisted and began just beneath the crop, leaving a sliver of smooth, tanned skin visible along Mia's stomach. It was of a rich gold colour, laced with intricate patterns that were native to Syria, and the beading continued on along the length of the skirt. It hugged Mia's waist snugly and remained tantalizingly tight as it reached her hips, only beginning to flow out once it got to her mid thigh. With a body like Mia's, it seemed like it was made just for her, and while she hadn't had a chance to look at herself yet, she got an inkling that she wasn't doing too shabbily.

When Bucky's eyes made their way to her face, he couldn't believe that this was the same girl whose heartbreaking past he'd been listening to only hours earlier. Her eyes bore no sign that she had woken up in tears that morning, nor did the nervous smile on her face give away just how much pain the nightmare had caused her. Her eyes were tinged a light baby brown as a result of the setting sun's reflection, and the subtle flush to her cheeks sure didn't help the situation either.

Sam and Steve broke into little smiles upon seeing her, and began to walk slowly towards the two women. Bucky, however, shut his previously gaping mouth so that it was in a tight line and cleared his throat softly. He lowered his eyes as he approached the group, and kept them glued to the uninteresting grass that littered the floor.

"Now _that's_ what I'm talkin' about. Princess Jasmine _up in here_ ," said Sam as he hi-fived Mia, promptly making her burst out into a fit of laughter. "Where the hell did you find something like that?"

Mia shrugged excitedly. "I know! I couldn't believe it when I first saw it, but Samara said that these sort of dresses were really common back in her day, so I guess I just lucked out."

"Well, you look beautiful, Mia," said Steve with that same good-natured smile he always wore.

Mia smiled giddily and quietly replied, "Thanks Cap."

As Bucky finally made his way over to the group, Mia got a chance to look over him for the first time, and it's at this point in the story that we should acknowledge that a steady air supply of oxygen is vital in staying alive.

However, Mia had forgotten that.

The _thobe_ that Azim had given him was tailored as if it was made just for him. His broad shoulders fit snugly into its frame, and it got slightly slimmer as it trailed down to his waist. It was the first time that Mia was seeing him with his hair pulled back, and the striking features of his face had never been clearer.

He'd taken well to the Syrian sun, with a bronze glow having developed across his features, bearing a stark difference to his calm blue eyes. The visible scruff on his face made Mia's stomach turn _just a little_ , and it wasn't long before she remembered that A) she needed to breathe and B) staring was considered highly offensive in most modern day cultures. _Stop it, stop it, stop it._

She snapped her head in a different direction (as she tended to do in these situations) and tried to seem nonchalant about the whole thing. Thankfully, Bucky didn't notice too much because he promptly did the same thing when Steve clasped his shoulder and asked with a cheeky grin, "You ready for this?"

Bucky nodded silently and fixed the glove on his left hand before running a slightly nervous hand through his already set hair.

Nat was the next to speak up. "Alright, it's almost 6. We're gonna drop you in the alley behind the main gates, and then a valet should come and get you guys from there. Mia, we'll get you in the car first."

Steve, Sam and Bucky made sure that all the essentials were packed up and in the car before they headed off. With one final sweep of the area, Steve put his foot down and the team were well on their way to the mansion, with nerves and anxiety present on everyone's conscience.

The thing about this mission was that it wasn't an in-and-out sort of thing. In any other case, Steve would've had no hesitation in grabbing his shield and a few of his teammates, going to the designated location and being rid of the problem within the hour. The difference here was that there was so much more at stake than just one person's life; it was an entire country's existence. While the easiest thing would have been for Steve to have gone himself to the party and wreaked havoc, he knew that one slip up could cost them their entire operation, and the people of Syria much more than that. He wasn't used to drawing out missions for so long and relying upon other people to do the bulk of the work, but what had to be done, had to be done.

The team rode in silence until they finally turned into the alley behind the Ambassador's mansion. Even from behind the closed gates, the liveliness of the party was visible with the amount of lights that were shining and the faint sound of music streaming into the car. Mia was trying hard to control her breathing and she didn't miss the way that everyone looked at her with bated anticipation.

With one nod of the head and a nervous smile, Nat was opening the door for Mia and helped her out of the car. Bucky hopped out of the front seat and waited for further instruction, watching his 'pretend-partner' fix her dress and the curtain of wavy brown hair that fell down her back. Even under the very faint light of the lamppost, her features rang true to the beauty she showed under a full sun. No matter how much he wanted to, Bucky couldn't exactly deny that.

"Alright, you're under the names 'Yaqub and Sara Hadi'. Let Mia do most of the talking to the guards and the list-checkers, stay close to each other, and stick to the plan. Winging it might not work out with so many of his guards around the mansion."

Nat then turned to Mia and said, "Do you have your gun?"

Mia nodded. "Yeah I...it's still here," she said as she tapped her thigh.

Sam called from inside the car, "And y'all are gonna have to act like a real couple, so you might wanna hold hands and not walk 70 yards apart from each other."

Mia's face erupted into flames because someone had actually _said_ the fact that they were supposed to be a couple, making it all the more real now. She looked up at Bucky shyly and saw him wearing a stern look on his face, currently glaring at Sam. She hoped that someone would say something to diffuse the weird tension that had engulfed the situation, but no such saviour came. Even Steve was looking at his best friend with a certain glint in his eye that didn't go unnoticed by Mia.

It wasn't long before the sound of another car approaching made everyone shift into 6th gear and saw Mia and Bucky parting ways with the rest of their team. The minute that they began walking the notably cleaner street that lead to the gate, Mia felt a strange wave of calm come over her, similar to the one she'd experienced when she went to the marketplace a few days ago.

She knew exactly what she had to do. She knew the language and the nature of the people inside. She also had the most capable soldier by her side, one who she was sure would go to lengths to keep her safe. He'd promised her as much, and she didn't hesitate on taking his word for it.

There were a few more cars that had arrived with dignified people stepping out of them, so Bucky and Mia weren't taken note of by anyone in particular. It was the Ambassador's policy that no car should enter the premises beyond the gate, which was why there were several valets sent from within the mansion that drove the guests up to the house itself. The man sitting at the booth of the main gate was a middle-aged, overweight and decidedly very bored fellow who saw the two approaching and barely raised an eye.

As they neared him, Mia decided _to hell with it_ , grabbed a hold of Bucky's gloved left hand and matched his stride with hers. She could feel her ears reddening under her wavy locks, and before she had the chance to peak up and see his reaction, they'd arrived at the guard's window and were asked to present their names.

The guard looked unimpressed as he began searching through the list in his computer. Mia held her breath and unknowingly squeezed her companion's hand a little tighter when it took him longer than 10 seconds to locate it, but when he was convinced that they were present, he radioed a valet to come and collect the two guests.

Within a few seconds, there was a young and enthusiastic man who was ushering them into the sleek Mercedes they'd be travelling the short distance in. He opened the door for Mia and helped her a little with her dress, before hurrying to the driver's seat and starting the ignition.

Bucky was staring intently outside the window as they passed by neatly trimmed hedges, before finally emerging into what was the beginning of the mansion. Mia could hardly believe that places like this existed in the _world_ , let alone war-torn Syria.

The first thing that she noticed was the large fountain that sat in the middle of the ring-road. It was gorgeously lit and scattered with plants, with the music getting louder and louder as the car approached the main steps. The drive took less than a minute, and as the car came to a halt behind two others that had guests disembarking from them, Mia looked up at the palatial spread in front of her.

His mansion was of the sort that she'd only ever seen in movies before. It was tall and decorated with bright lights all across, with broad stairs leading up to it. The car inched forward a few more times before it was finally their turn to get out.

The young usher hurried over to Mia's side of the car and opened her door for her, adding in Arabic, "May I help you out, ma'am?"

Mia extended her hand to him and gathered up the bottom of her skirt before stepping out of the car with a practiced grace that she hoped would seem natural to the guests that may be watching her. She wasn't particularly used to the heels that Nat had given her just yet, so she wobbled a little when the usher took his hand away. She said a quiet 'thank you' to him and smoothed down the waves in her hair before turning to look at her partner, finding him watching her intently.

He quickly looked towards the stairs in what was an inviting gesture and began walking slowly towards them. Mia took a deep breath in and followed him closely, and she might have admired the broadness of his back in the fitted _thobe_ just a little as he lead them to the mansion's grandiose front doors.

Upon seeing the two of them approaching, an overly happy organiser plastered a welcoming smile on her face and asked in fluent Arabic, "Good evening, what names were you under tonight?"

Bucky looked at Mia expectantly because his usual missions didn't require him to remember too many false details. Leaning into his side just a little, she said kindly, "Mr and Mrs Hadi."

The woman glazed through the iPad that she had clutched in her hand for a few moments before looking up and asking, "Yaqub and Sara?"

Mia nodded. "Yes."

"Welcome to the Ambassador's home, we hope you enjoy your evening."

 _I hope so too, sister. I hope so too._ The two nodded their thanks and crossed the threshold of their mission's location. The overwhelming smell of wine and traditional food was the first thing they were hit with as they entered, just before they saw the Paradise that they'd stepped into.

If Mia had thought that Azim's house was an anomaly in Syria, she was gravely mistaken. The home was decorated with lit chandeliers, tall ceilings and gold embroiled staircases. Mia was also 99% sure that this was where they'd shot 'Princess Diaries 2', and that they were in fact, in the Genovian Palace.

"Oh...God," said Mia as she stepped her way through the sea of dignitaries that scattered the marbled floor.

Bucky himself had taken a moment to appreciate the mansion's glory, but he was more interested in subtly scoping out the guards that were lurking about. Upon his initial survey, he saw 8 stationed at different corners of the ground floor and 4 dressed in expensive suits who were blended in with the guests. They were now amid the crowd of people who had gathered at the bottom of the staircase, and when he looked up, there was a sudden spike in his heart rate as he saw a trio of young men cradling drinks and staring at his faux wife.

Without thinking too much (or at all, really), Bucky took a hold of Mia's hand as she stood slightly in front of him, peering into the kitchen area of the house. She was taken by surprise when she felt fingers snake into hers, until she looked up and saw Bucky looking a little tenser than he had before. With widened eyes and the inability to understand whether she should feel excited or concerned, Mia asked, "You okay?"

All Bucky gave her was a brisk nod as he led them to a different part of the ground floor, which just so happened to be where the bar was. A waiter came around to them and offered some champagne on a platter, which Bucky accepted and Mia refused. Feeling a little more at ease now that Mia was away from the predatory gaze of powerful men, Bucky raised a questioning brow at her.

"I don't drink, remember?" she said in fluent Arabic.

Just as he was about to reply, a sudden uproar of cheers and hollers erupted on the main part of the floor. Mia peered over Bucky's shoulder to get a look at the scene, and saw the Serbian Ambassador shaking hands with several people as he passed by them up the staircase. He was accompanied by other Serbian dignitaries and one man that Mia recognised as a Syrian member of Parliament, all walking closely at his side. The only question was, where was Varkey?

Once they reached the top of the staircase, the entire room fell silent as the Ambassador tapped his glass and was handed a microphone.

"I am afraid my Arabic is not up to par, ladies and gentlemen. So, I hope you will not take offence if I speak in our common language of English when I address you tonight," said the heavily accented man. "I would like to thank you all for coming here this evening, I know it is difficult to leave the comforts of your home in this unforgiving heat, but I assure you that the company here tonight will make it worthwhile." He paused. "And if not that, then surely the food and wine will suffice."

Sudden bursts of laughter were heard throughout the room, causing Mia to look around with an 'are you freaking serious right now?' sort of face. _This is as bad as those tennis country clubs back in the States, what the hell's so funny about this old potato?_

"But we are here to welcome back a beloved member of the Parliament, a man who has gone to great lengths to better this country and who strives everyday to help its people. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm round of applause for our own Varkey Al-Nasser."

Varkey appeared from behind a few people at the top of the stairs, waved his hand and shot a charming smile at the applauding crowd beneath him. Mia's hands clapped rhythmically, but every fibre in her being oozed with more disdain than she'd ever felt before. The man who was sentencing her homeland to obliteration was the one who was receiving the ovations. None of it made sense, none of it.

Hugging the Ambassador and taking the microphone off of him, Varkey began in Arabic. " _Merhaba_ , my friends. I would like to thank you all for coming here tonight, it means more to me than you know. It has been a difficult few months abroad but I have been doing what I can to aid the situation that unfolds around our country. It may take time, but I believe wholeheartedly that our nation will be made great once more." The ravenous sound of applause unnerved Bucky, but when he looked at the pain written into Mia's eyes as she stood next to him, his own anxiety was all but forgotten and replaced with concern. She looked as he'd never seen her before, with an expression that spoke of absolution, as if she'd go to the ends of her ropes to see to it that justice prevailed.

He'd be damned if he didn't feel the same.

"So please, enjoy yourselves. We are all hard working people here, and we deserve a night to forget the pressures that come with daylight. Thank you." And with that, Varkey was approached by dozens of people, greeting each one with the same charisma that he seemed to exude on a permanent basis. It would've been easy if the public saw him as a hated character, with all the traits you'd expect from a villain.

But the unfortunate truth was that the people loved him. He was young and handsome, and the words he spoke dripped with kindness like they hadn't heard before. He masked his truth so perfectly that people couldn't find a flaw, and that's why he was most dangerous.

Mia's eyes were fixed on the man in question until she was taken by surprise as she felt a slight shove to her shoulder, followed by a slur of apologies.

"Oh, God! Forgive me, I'm so sorry Miss."

An elderly man who was dressed in a uniform and decorated with Syrian Army Medals was the one apologising to Mia, as a tiny bit of split champagne trailed down his left hand.

Mia painted on a warm smile and said, "That's perfectly fine, sir. I shouldn't have been standing in the way."

The man shook his head. "You are gracious to make excuses for me, dear." He extended his hand and said, "Commander-In-Chief Hassan Merola."

Mia took his hand and replied, "Sara Hadi, sir."

"And what brings you here this evening, Miss Hadi?"

"I was in town from Junyad when I received an invitation for Varkey's welcome home. It's been...terribly long since he's been back."

The man nodded. "Indeed, it has. But he does not neglect his people, I assure you. Even in the state that it's in, he makes sure to visit his hometown bearing gifts for the women and children whenever he returns."

Mia's ears perked up. "Aleppo?"

The Commander nodded, to which Mia asked, "When does he plan to go during this trip? Because, as you said, it is rather volatile territory at the moment."

"I'm afraid I cannot be sure, but I suspect it will be soon," he said with a little smile. He then looked to Bucky expectantly. Mia quickly said, "Oh, sorry, this is my husband Bu—Yaqub." _Shit._

The man extended his hand in greeting and said, "Buyaqub?"

"No sir," Bucky chuckled. "Just Yaqub."

"Ah, and what is it that you do, young man?"

"I run a textile business out of Jordan, not too far from Aljamarik."

The man's eyes lit up at the sound of that. "My brother owns a business in the city centre there! Perhaps you know of him, Zain Merola?"

Bucky drew in his eyebrows in faux confusion, and Mia wondered if acting skills were included in Hydra's "How To Be An Unstoppable Soviet Assassin: 101" manual guide.

"The name does sound familiar. I'm sure our paths have crossed."

The Chief nodded happily and was about to ask another question when a fellow Army Officer came to greet him warmly. Mia breathed a sigh of relief as she and Bucky parted ways with the elderly man. The number of people filing into the room was growing by the minute, and Mia almost didn't notice that she'd been separated from Bucky until she went to ask him a question, only to be met with a most intimidating sight; the Serbian Ambassador.

He had been standing amongst a group of excitable people, most likely junior cabinet members of his Parliament. He was speaking rather boredly and answering their questions, until he saw Mia turn away from the Chief's conversation and unknowingly walk towards him.

With a wave of his ring-clad hand, the Ambassador glazed his stone blue eyes along her figure, starting from the well-fitted crop and all the way down the curve of her waist. He didn't see that she had previously been accompanied by a man, which only encouraged him to make his advance.

Mia's heart all but stopped when she was met with the 6'2, lanky man that was in front of her. She looked once more from her right to her left in the hopes of spotting Bucky, but he was well and truly invisible.

"Now this...," the Ambassador pointed to Mia, "this is a sight I do not like to see in my home."

Mia's heart stopped as she felt 1000% sure that he suspected her. In her mind, she was reciting every prayer she'd ever known, vigorously asking God to keep her identity hidden from this man.

The Ambassador elaborated in his eloquent but accented English, "A beautiful young woman who has come to enjoy herself in my house, without a glass of champagne to cool her on such a warm evening."

 _Oh dear Lord, thank you so much._ Mia must've visibly relaxed at the sound of those words because a sly grin spread across the Ambassador's face. Just as Mia was about to reply in English, she suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be a full-blooded Syrian. So far it had been easy because she was either speaking Arabic or English, but _now_ she had to speak English in a Syrian accent. _Please God, please just mess with this guy's head a little and stop him from realising how fricking terrible I am at accents._

Mia formed a small smile and said, "Ah, I'm used to it. I do not drink, Mr Ambassador."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? Hmm, for...religious purposes?"

"No but, it dulls the senses."

"And do you prefer sensual experiences in life, Miss?"

Mia reddened a little at his brashness. She would've told him something much different had they been in different circumstances but instead, she replied, "With the right company."

Whilst Mia had said that in hopes of brushing him off and moving right past him, the Ambassador seemed to be impressed as opposed to discouraged. With a grin on his face, he held out his right hand to Mia and said, "Ambassador Kovalev. And you are?"

Mia's stomach twisted as she watched her hand being raised and brought to the Ambassador's lips, while he maintained eye contact as he let a small kiss linger.

She pulled her hand away as soon as it became appropriate to do so and replied plainly, "Sara Hadi."

Mia was just about to excuse herself when she felt a hand cradle the small of her back and a familiar presence come to stand on her right side. "There you are, sweetheart," said Bucky in fluent Arabic.

Mia's brain temporarily malfunctioned as she looked up to see his eyes boring into hers, looking at her as though he'd known her his entire life. She barely had enough time to catch her breath, before the distinct sound of the Ambassador clearing his throat pulled her from her reverie.

"Oh, uh, right, this...this is my husband, Buck-qub." _Oh, for fuck's sake._ "Yaqub! Yaqub, this is Ambassador Kovalev."

The Ambassador nodded curtly at Bucky before letting his gaze return to Mia. "Well, perhaps our paths will meet again tonight. Do enjoy yourself, Miss Hadi," he turned to her companion before saying, "And you, sir."

As soon as the man left their presence, Mia had the sudden urge to throw up and simultaneously scrub her body of all contact that it had made with him. She was torn between fuming and screaming, but it was Bucky's hand in hers that brought her back to the situation at hand, and she reasoned that the goose bumps which spread across her skin were a result of the gust of window from the balcony ahead of them.

With a small quirk of his head, Bucky was leading the two of them onto the broad balcony and into the summer air, overlooking the acres of land that belonged to the Ambassador. The minute she was away from the other people that had converged out there, Mia let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding since she'd stepped foot in the mansion.

With Bucky's hand still in hers, which he reasoned was purely for keeping up appearances, he took in her shiny eyes under the omnipresent moon and asked, "You okay?"

Mia looked up at him and felt herself relax into the familiar features of his face, as though they anchored her in a moment where she was surrounded by endless unknowns. She looked down at their adjoined hands and said, "The entire country's in shambles and all I had to do was wear a nice dress and some makeup to be allowed into a million dollar party." She laughed bitterly. "12 years later and nothing's changed."

Bucky looked down at their hands with her. The truth was he didn't know what to say. She spoke the truth, and nothing about their situation was fair. Not on the Syrian people, not on the refugees that had to flee from there, none of it. But she spoke for him.

"Thank you."

He wet his lips before asking softly, "For what?"

"For wanting to give these bastards exactly what they deserve." She paused. "You're...you're a good man, Bucky."

That hurt him. It hurt him more than she'd ever know, because he knew with every fibre in his being that she was wrong. But hearing that from someone he knew believed it, someone that was ignorant to the extent of his evil...he clutched at that moment in the hopes that it'd last forever.

But as fate would have it, the moment ceased as quickly as it began with Nat's voice streaming through their earpieces, shocking the two of them out of their linked hands. "Are you guys on the balcony?"

"Yeah, we just came out," replied Mia.

"Good. Okay, you need to keep an eye on Varkey and make sure that the bug gets in the Ambassador's office before he does. He'll probably mingle for a while, and then spend the rest of the night there. Whenever you see a chance, go for it. And don't freak out if someone sees you in there, just play coy and act a little tipsy. No one's gonna suspect you."

Mia nodded. "Alright, which room was it again?"

"Up the staircase, 3rd door on the right."

"Got it."

Steve chimed in. "You guys are doing great, Sam's trying to get the satellite feed up and running. We'll let you know what happens."

"Let's get this over with, then," said Bucky.

Mia couldn't agree more as she followed him back into the mansion. The people seemed to be growing tipsier by the minute, so both of them were careful not to have anymore 'accidentally spilt champagne' incidents as they meandered through the crowd. Mia kept a keen eye out for Varkey, hoping that she'd catch him somewhere far from the staircase so she'd be able to run up and get the job done.

They turned into the main hall of the bottom floor which doubled for a ballroom. The live band had just started playing and there was a steady stream of people walking into the room with dance partners.

Bucky decided to do a round of the main room and its people under the guise of getting the two of them some drinks. Within 5 minutes, Mia was approached by an esteemed middle-aged couple who were somehow related to the Parliament, a teenage girl who asked her about her dress and a young bachelor who didn't know that she was, in fact, married. When the 10 minute mark struck and he _still_ hadn't returned, Mia was starting to get a little too anxious for her own good. _Did the guards think there was something shifty about him? He could've fought them off, though. Unless they called in reinforcements. Oh God, please don't let that be the case._

Mia was on the lookout for both Varkey and the Ambassador, but after a while of failed seeking, she decided that she simply couldn't waste any more time. She had to get the bug into that office, and her window of opportunity would only get narrower from there on out. She turned to head straight to the stairs, defiant and unwilling to let anything come in her way.

...Except for the bloody Serbian Ambassador.

"I am beginning to think that your husband is not too fond of your company tonight, Mrs Hadi." Mia's eyes widened in unpleasant surprise as she heard the Ambassador's words from behind her. She turned in her spot so that her skirt fluttered a little as he said, "Is it possible that he is seeking it out from somewhere else?"

Mia said curtly, "He's just left to get us some drinks."

The Ambassador smiled so that his dimples were etched clearly in his skin. In other circumstances, Mia could have considered him handsome, maybe even charismatic. But in this moment, in this reality...he just looked sickening.

"But you do not drink."

"Thankfully, your staff has arranged for beverages other than alcohol."

"Well, we do like to be accommodating here."

Mia returned the sentiment with a terse smile and looked down. A painfully awkward moment ensued as the music in the background began to swell, marking the commencement of another song and prompting couples to take to the dance floor like flies. Mia tried not to fidget as she waited for Bucky to return from his 7 year long scouring trip. But as she was looking around in hopes of finding him, she spotted Varkey on the other side of the room speaking to some cabinet members.

There wouldn't be a better time to go than this. She knew for certain that the office would be empty, and they could finally be done with this part of the mission. Mia readied herself to leave, but apparently luck just wasn't on her side that night, because the Ambassador rested a hand on her forearm and said, "Perhaps a better use of our time would be to share a dance?"

Mia was stumped. _Dude, you're literally 55 years old, take your Viagra pills and leave._ "Uh, I'm sorry but I'm not too sure my husband would approve."

"He left you alone in a room full of suitors. He doesn't seem to mind too much."

Mia seriously couldn't believe her luck. Either she was back home where she was getting exactly 0.37% male attention throughout the year, or she was here and had somehow caught the eye of the _Serbian fricking Ambassador_ , even when he was under the impression that she was married. She needed to get up to his office to plant the bug there, but it'd be next to impossible now that she was somehow on his radar. She couldn't act too brashly because that would bring about unwanted attention, so in simple terms, she had to dance with the silver-foxed sack of potatoes.

Almost hesitantly, Mia stepped closer to the Ambassador and was about to join him in dance when she saw Bucky return with a glass in either hand and a bemused look on his face. When she looked past him, she saw Varkey finishing up his previous conversation and heading towards the staircase before he was stopped by another group. They were running out of time before Varkey would make a dash for the office, and Mia realised that she needed to get the bug that was currently latched onto the inside of her bra to Bucky.

Leaving the Ambassador's hands and walking past him, Mia sauntered towards Bucky in a way that she hoped was convincing enough in her role as wife. She watched his eyes grow larger as he saw her discreetly reach into the bra that was tucked snugly under her crop, fishing for the small device that needed to be placed in the Ambassador's office.

 _You can't just hand it to him, that'd look super shifty. Maybe put it in his drink? No, Jesus Christ, then it'll short-wire, you coconut! And the Ambassador's watching, how the hell is this gonna work?_

While Mia was still striding her way over to him, Bucky's heart was beating like a racehorse as his eyes trailed to where her hand was currently buried. It seemed that she was having a little bit of trouble unlatching the device from her bra, and Bucky willed his ears to stop heating up by the second as he watched on.

He expected her to simply walk up to him and say something, but what he got was above and beyond what he was ready for. She came to a halt _right_ in front of him, with her heels putting her just beneath eye level. Both her hands were resting at her chest, with a small device clasped between them. Bucky watched with parted lips and bated anticipation as she brought her eyes up to look at his momentarily, before leaning in to his ear and saying, "Varkey's about to go to the office. You need to take the bug and put it there. The old man won't leave me alone."

Bucky's brain had been trained to resist torture, interrogation, forms of mind control and hypnosis. But one thing that Hydra hadn't acclimated him to was the art of arousal, and with her breath less than an inch from his, her hand slipping into the breast-pocket of his _thobe_ and her scandalously-fitted crop top _right there_ in his downward line of vision...yeah, it was tough.

Just as she was about to draw away, Mia was having a 'fuck it' moment and really decided to sell the scam by tippy-toeing herself and laying a small kiss just beneath his cheekbone, while patting the pocket she'd just placed the device in. She hoped that it'd give the Ambassador the hint he needed, and it would give her a good reason for leaving him mid-dance. She didn't have the courage to look at Bucky's reaction as she turned to walk away, but if she did, she'd have known that the term 'bewildered' wasn't enough to describe the way that he looked on after her. His clutch around the two drink glasses had slackened, as had his jaw, and his tanned cheeks had adopted a light tinge of pink. Not exactly the manliest reaction, but it was definitely the most natural one.

As Mia honed in her features and masked them with one of indifference, she returned to the Ambassador and found him looking a little sour after watching her interaction with her 'husband'.

"I'm sorry he...he's a little overprotective."

The Ambassador smiled plainly. "And for good reason." Mia looked up as he extended his hand. "Shall we?"

Mia knew that she had a part to play, and she was proud of the way she handled herself in that moment, with grace and calm. She laid a hand on his shoulder and the other twined with his as they swayed to the notes of a smooth song. Mia kept her eyes glued to their feet as they moved, afraid of the evil she might see in his if she looked too long.

The Ambassador cleared his throat. "So may I ask why a young lady such as yourself has stayed in Syria while it is in the throes of war?"

"I didn't stay. I live in Jordan with my husband, I'm only here to visit family."

"Ah, and is your family from this town?"

Mia shook her head slightly and lied through her teeth, "No, Junyad."

The Ambassador's hand on Mia's waist lingered before he let it trail down a little further towards her hips. Mia still didn't look up at him, but she could feel every defensive instinct in her body taking over. She wanted nothing more than to break his hands and a few ribs while she was at it, but she couldn't. Not when they'd come so far.

"And how do you know Varkey?"

"His family has done dealings with my husband in Jordan. We were simply invited because we were in town."

"Well Mrs Hadi, in the future I hope you don't rely solely on your husband's business to come back to this city." He punctuated the end of the sentence with his hand sliding to 'definitely not okay' territory, right above her hipbone. Mia's breath hitched, and not in the good way, as she let her eyes fly to his at the unwanted advance.

"I can't possibly think of any other reason to come back here," she said a little harshly.

He laughed. "Because you haven't seen anything to base your judgement on, Mrs Hadi. Perhaps you are in need of better company."

Mia flinched as his grip on her became a little stronger, and she wondered why in a room full of people, she felt frighteningly alone. God knows she wasn't cut out for this. All she wanted was for her team to be there, for Bucky to show up and take her away so that she wouldn't have to be in the arms of someone her heart despised. She needed a familiar face to calm the nerves that were growing as the Ambassador's intent became more and more clear. She knew he was used to getting what he wanted, and she suspected that this was no different.

As the song drew to a close, he not so subtly looked over Mia in a way that iced her veins. She was now looking somewhere past his shoulder to avoid his eyes, and though her face didn't exhibit signs of anger, it was all her heart was filled with.

"The dance was lovely, Mrs Hadi. I must say, it is rather crowded in here. Perhaps...perhaps you'd like to join me, if not for wine then maybe for another vice of your choice."

 _No, nope, no sir, not okay._ Mia promptly felt sick at the thought of being alone in a room with this guy, and would have drawn the line there but she stopped in her tracks as she heard Nat's voice through the earpiece.

"Play along, Mia. Don't put up a fight, just stay bashful until Barnes gets back. Don't worry, we're not gonna let this guy take you anywhere."

While Mia was silently registering her instructions, the entire mansion's lights turned off in an instant. Mia took the moment to distance herself from her unwanted suitor, and the entire crowd erupted into loud gasps as the distinguishable sound of a bomb somewhere in the far distance reached everyone's ears.

No matter whether it was the streets of Aleppo or the fortresses of Abu Jurayn, they were still in Syria. The sounds of war were still present, and unfortunately, everyone in the room was used to them by now.

People began clambering for their partners as they stood in darkness, but it was all short-lived as the blinding lights came back on within a few moments. There were relieved murmurs that spread across the room, and being that Mia was right next to the Ambassador, his words boomed in her ear. "Just a temporary electricity shortage, ladies and gentlemen. Please proceed with your enjoyment, the night is still young."

She knew that the electricity outage was likely the result of a bombing, but there was a nagging thought in her head that kept indulging the idea that it had something to do with Bucky. There were, after all, dozens of bodyguards around the mansion that would ascend on him at once if they thought something was up. She wished now that she would have sticked to the plan and been the one to plant the bug, because if anything happened to him because of her...she couldn't take that.

People began slowly moving again as a song livened the room with sound once more. Before Mia could even think about using the distraction to quietly slip away, her arm was clasped softly by the guy that _just wouldn't get the message._

"I'm sorry if the shortage alarmed you. It is an inconvenient reality that we have to deal with living here."

Mia looked at him incredulously. _Boy, you wouldn't know an inconvenient reality if it hit you across the face with a baseball bat._ "I assure you, it is of no consequence," she said through gritted teeth.

He nodded. "I am sure that for a strong Syrian woman such as yourself, you have faced much more challenging feats than lighting problems."

Mia couldn't look past the slightly mocking tone of his voice, as though he had little care for the struggles of the people who currently lived there. Not that that should have surprised her, he was after all signing away Syria's existence for the sake of greed.

While Mia was once again caught up in a languid dance with the Ambassador, Bucky was making his way down from the staircase after having planted the bug in his office. He'd come across 4 guards on his way there, but he'd managed to make it by without any violence or foul play. The reason it had taken so long at all was because a random businessman had taken to the Ambassador's office in order to receive an important phone call. What should have been an in and out job ended up taking 10 minutes, and Bucky was glad that their main objective had been completed.

Now making his way into the ballroom to find his partner and leave, Bucky was scanning the floor keenly, having expected that Mia would have ditched the old man by now and be waiting alone somewhere. What he was met with instead set an inexplicable flame low in his stomach, as he watched his teammate being held tightly at the hips by a man that Bucky knew she despised. He blamed the murderous rage that he felt on the adrenaline running through his veins. But if he was being honest with himself, he hadn't felt this protective of someone in a long, long time.

He glided his way past the dancing couples with a practiced confidence, and he couldn't help but notice the flood of relief on Mia's face when she laid eyes on him.

She immediately let go of the Ambassador's grip and ran a hand nervously through her hair, making the other man look quizzically at her before noticing her husband's presence.

"Ah, I am glad you found your way back, Mr Hadi," he said with a forced smile.

Bucky stood guardedly in front of Mia as he glared at him in a way that was expected of any husband who found his wife dancing with another man.

"Thank you for the dance, Mrs Hadi. I do hope you consider my offer, there is much to show you in this beautiful city."

Just as he finished, a small, taut bodyguard came towards the Ambassador and whispered something in his ear, hushed and hurriedly. The Ambassador's facade broke momentarily as his face grew serious, before he nodded slightly and sent the man on his way.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to. I do hope you enjoy your evening."

With a last, lingering look in Mia's direction, he exited the room without so much as a glance back their way. Mia tried to shrink in on herself behind Bucky as she felt relief meander through her body, knowing that she wouldn't have to spend another moment in that man's presence.

"Can we leave?" she asked in Arabic.

Without turning back to her, Bucky took her hand in his and led her towards the front doors of the mansion. They walked at a normal pace, with neither one wanting to stand out in the crowd, but the exit just couldn't come soon enough. Mia didn't dare look up at the people she was passing, in fear that they might stop her or prolong their escape. At that moment, all she wanted was to be rid of their company and around people who didn't possess the kind of evil that she'd been surrounded by over the last hour. She'd spoken to and been _touched_ by the very people she'd hoped would be destroyed, and as that realisation hit her like a freight train, she got the very sudden urge to be sick.

They had just left the front doors and stepped into the night's cool air when Mia said, "Buck I...I think I'm gonna be sick."

"No, no. C'mon Mia, we're almost outta here. Just wait til we get out of the gates." He tugged her hand and they were suddenly walking briskly down the grand steps they'd entered from. A different usher brought his car forward to take the two of them out to the front gates, and Mia couldn't possible get in quick enough.

 _You're alright. Just breathe. Don't think about it. Just breathe. You're safe. Just breathe._

The short drive seemed to take forever before it came to a halt and Bucky sped around to Mia's side to open her door. She reached for his offered arm and let her dress drag carelessly behind her as they walked under dimly lit lampposts, towards the alley they'd come from.

"Barnes, what's your location?" said Nat into his earpiece.

"We're out of the mansion, at the alley."

"Alright, we'll be there in 5."

Mia yanked the ear piece out as she let her head drop back against the wall of the alley. Her breathing was growing steadily uneven and Bucky could do nothing but watch her helplessly as she began speaking.

"That f—That fucking bastard. Oh God, he...he's gonna—Oh God, please don't let him hurt my people." Mia's whispered pleas were mixed with rapid breaths and stinging tears that fell of their own accord. She wasn't crying, but there was despair on her face that was worse than that. She'd looked in to the face of the man who would be responsible for her country's downfall, and instead of causing him harm, she'd entertained him.

"I wanted to kill him," she whispered, almost guiltily.

Bucky came and stood within a breath's distance of her and spoke chillingly.

"Good."

Mia shook her head. "It's not—He kept trying to...He wanted me to—God, he just didn't understand. And now he's gonna wipe my country off the fucking map, goddamn it."

Mia held her head in her hands as she tried to even out her breathing, just like she used to when she was a kid. Everything was spinning and she wanted nothing more than for someone to hit the 'Off' switch in her mind so she could just stop thinking.

After all that they'd been through in the last 24 hours and the days before that, Bucky felt safe to do what he did next. He slowly cuffed his hands around both of her wrists and brought them away from her face. Mia shut her eyes even tighter, as though she didn't want him to see her crying for the umpteenth time since he'd met her.

"Mia, look at me."

She opened her eyes but kept them glued to his feet. He slightly tightened his hold on her wrists as he said, "C'mon, Mia."

She let out a breath and looked up at him, doing nothing to stop the few tears that escaped her lids.

"We're not going home until that bastard's in the ground. And I swear on my life, your people are gonna be safe from them."

Mia didn't know why such simple words weighed so heavily in her heart as she heard them.

"You really mean that?"

Bucky nodded. "Every word."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes: A very,** _ **very**_ **belated Happy New Year and Christmas and Hannukah to anyone that celebrated! I'm so so sorry for skipping out on updating these past few weeks, but my family made impromptu travel plans and the rest was history. I know it's Sunday and I don't usually update today, but I couldn't wait 'til next Saturday to get this chapter out. Normal updating schedule from this week on, and I can't wait for you guys to see where the story's gonna go. Thanks for sticking around, and I'd love to hear what you guys think so far. Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 10

On the ride back to Aleppo from Abu Jurayn, the car had been filled with an uncharacteristic silence. The miles and miles of travel weren't punctuated with Sam's witty jokes or Mia's unrelenting laughter, nor did Nat give the two super soldiers a hard time like she usually did. It was simply quiet. And the reason for that was now they had a time and a place where they knew the deal was going to happen. Suddenly, the entire situation was very, _very_ real.

The bug planted in the Ambassador's office worked as it was intended, and could be accessed from anywhere in the world. Because it didn't require the team to be within a close vicinity, they decided it would be best to head out of town as soon as the team collected Mia and Bucky from the mansion. Mia wanted to peel herself of the traditional dress that she'd been wearing, not because of discomfort, but simply because she wanted that experience to be well and truly _over._

The team were about half an hour through their journey before the Ambassador and Varkey began their conversation. During that time, they talked about several things, one of which included Mia. The entire team's ears perked up at the sound of her name, and from what they'd heard, the Ambassador had taken more than a liking to their comrade.

"I used to believe that you did not bring your wife to these events for her safety, Ambassador. But after tonight, I am beginning to think that the women of my country may have a part to play," said Varkey, with a smile evident in his voice. "Was she married?"

He scoffed. "Her partner looked like her farmboy. I have never seen her at an event before, she says she was from out of town. But her eyes told me what she really wanted...and had that idiot not been around, I would have _bent je preko mog stole_ _odmah_."

The entire car was filled with the men laughing through the bug in his office, and Mia noticed that both Nat and Bucky grew tenser at those lasts words. Being the only ones that understood Serbian, Mia asked them, "What did he say?"

In the front seat, Bucky kept his gaze resolutely down at his feet, but even under the faint light that was streaming in through the car window, she could see his jaw clenching tersely.

"Nothing important," said Nat quietly.

Mia sunk back into her seat and decided it was better that she didn't know. She'd heard enough of what that man had to say for an entire lifetime. It was within the next half an hour that the men in the office began talking about the deal and where it would take place. The team now knew that it would happen in the Old Museum situated on the outskirts of the city, 2 days from then. Varkey decided that 9pm would be the best time to carry out the deal, as it would be less likely for them to be seen, but in reality, that was exactly what the team had been hoping for. The cover of night was where Cap and his teammates were most comfortable, and it gave them every chance to complete this mission perfectly.

It was almost 1 in the morning when Steve announced that they were only 15 minutes away from entering the outskirts of Aleppo. It was almost exactly when he said it that everyone shot up in their seats as they heard the engine start backfiring from the car. All subtle signs of sleep vanished in an instant, and Steve grew increasingly troubled as to what the hell was wrong with the vehicle that should have lasted them the trip.

"What's wrong?" asked a concerned Nat.

"I don't...I don't know." The more that Steve tried to accelerate, the slower the car was travelling, until it came to a complete halt right in the middle of a battered highway. Sam stuck his head out of his window to make sure the coast was clear under the moonlit landscape before getting out and heading towards the bonnet.

Steve quickly followed suit and Bucky tagged along, leaving Nat to check the tyres and the mufflers, but not before telling Mia to stay put just in case.

"The tyres seem fine. How's the front looking?"

"Engine seems fine, not too hot. There's no smoke, and there was at least a quarter tank of gas left."

Mia stuck her head outside of the window and watched the team sort through potential parts of the car that could've been a problem for them. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Sam suddenly said, "Where'd you find the car?"

"It was from an old garage on the other side of town. Hadn't been used in a while, by the looks of it."

"I think that's the problem. Some of the gas we were running on must've dissolved to dirt. It's happened to my Mazda before."

Mia laughed quietly for the first time that night as her head lulled out of the window. "You drive a Mazda, Sammy?"

Sam looked up seriously. "Abso-fucking-lutely. Best car there is."

Steve added, "He's right, y'know."

"Whatchu got against Mazdas?" asked Sam.

Mia stifled a smile at the memory that surfaced in her head. "Uh...no real reason, I just...I kinda—Well, not _kinda,_ but I...sorta trashed one with a...baseball bat once."

Steve and Sam's reactions were filled with surprised, while Nat quirked a grin and Bucky seemed just _a tiny bit_ impressed. "You _trashed_ one? Why?" enquired Sam.

"Does this have anything to do with that ex you told us next to nothing about?" chided Nat.

Mia nodded. "Yep."

Silence ensued as the others realised Mia wasn't about to spill her guts at the moment, and so Steve closed the bonnet before turning to his team. "Looks like we're gonna have to walk it from here."

"What, all the way to Biriva? That's 9 miles, Steve. You sure you don't wanna set up camp for now and leave at dawn?" asked Sam.

Steve shook his head. "We can't risk it. We'll deal with squatters if we see 'em. Until then, we'll just follow the path and stay close to the trees. Should be there in a few hours."

Bucky had been wearing his shirt and trousers under his _thobe_ , so he simply took that off and was on his way to unpacking the car of their equipment. Mia, on the other hand, was still clad in a 10 pound dress that was about as comfortable to wear as a corset, with heels on that made walking 49 times harder.

"Uh...Nat?". Nat hummed in reply. "Uh, do you think I could...get changed before we head off? There's no way I can walk in this," said Mia as she gestured to her dress.

Nat nodded. "Fellas, take a hike for a few minutes. We'll whistle when we're ready."

They all looked at Nat in mild confusion before seeing the semi-apologetic look on Mia's face and nodding in approval as they set down the road. She breathed a sigh of relief and took off her shoes so that her feet were directly in contact with the rubble on the road. "Oh my...God, wow that's better."

Nat smiled as she helped her out of the tight crop. "How you feelin'?"

"Like I could do well with never wearing a traditional dress again."

Nat smirked. "At least you looked good."

"Yeah, I'm glad I got the attention of every 60-year-old in the room. Maybe we can have our wedding on Bingo Night at the retirement home, it might score us a few free meal coupons."

"Hey, people grow old, not blind. You can't really blame them."

Mia shivered. "I know, but it was just _him._ He was...sickening. And God, every time he'd touch me I felt like I was gonna combust."

Nat laid her hand on her shoulder and turned her around. "Hey, what you did in there wasn't something small. This is about your people and I know it wasn't easy. But you held yourself together and the team's all the better for it."

Mia felt a lump grow in her throat at hearing something like that being acknowledged by Nat. If she'd ever wanted to make someone proud, even more so than Steve or Sam, it was her. She'd been a role model for her since forever, and this wasn't something she took lightly.

"It wasn't me. I...There's no way I could've been around those people if he hadn't come with me."

Nat grinned. "Yeah, I gotta say, you and Barnes make a good team." Mia reddened instantly, regardless of the fact that what Nat was saying made complete sense. Perhaps that's why. "He trusts you too, y'know. He might even be a little protective of you."

Mia laughed shortly. "Well, that's his job so..."

Nat shook her head. "Not in that way."

Mia looked up at her and felt her lips part, about to question her. But before she could say anything, Steve yelled out from a distance, "Are you guys ready?"

Mia yanked on the shirt that was in her hand and buttoned up her jeans. "Ready!"

The two women set off with their bags in line with the rest of their team, leaving the car behind to rust away as the others did. They were on set for a long walk ahead of them, but Mia was fine with that. If anything, having that time to just be at one with the nature around her and what was left of her county was a balm to her fried nerves. She didn't know when she'd get to be back here again, and knowing that the deal would take place in less than two days meant that their exit from Syria would come shortly after that. But even so, she found herself missing her other home back in the States. She missed her brother and friends, and even her aunt and uncle. Although she wasn't about to deny that the company she was currently in couldn't have been much better.

X

"I told you we were supposed to take a left," said Sam as he rubbed a hand over his tired face. "The board two miles back said that Aleppo was on the left."

Nat shook her head. "That's only if we were gonna take the main road, which we can't. We're going the right way, Wilson. But if you need one of us to carry you, just say the word."

Sam muttered something under his breath along the lines of 'freakishly fit Russian ballerinas' and 'ain't nobody ever listens to the black guy'. Bucky and Mia trailed slightly behind the other three as they walked quietly, seemingly lost in their own thoughts and unprepared to break the silence.

"Eat your words, Wilson. We're here," said Nat.

And true to her word, the team had finally arrived back at their vantage point, looking the same as when they'd left it in the early hours of the previous morning. The team was tired and it was high time that they got some rest, but it seemed that Mia and Bucky were experiencing a different type of exhaustion. For Bucky, it was from the weight of knowing what they had to do in order to stop Varkey and his allies from wreaking havoc in the country, but for Mia...it was simply the gravity of the situation. How on Earth did she get here?

It wasn't long before all 5 team members were holed up in the same half-demolished house, with Sam volunteering to stand guard for the remainder of the night. Mia fell asleep almost as soon as she hit the makeshift bed, and Nat got in a quick nap before she'd have to rise at dawn. Unfortunately, sleep didn't come as easily for the 2 super soldiers, who regardless of being in each other's company, didn't have much to say at all.

The reality was that the future of an entire country was incumbent upon them. One slip up, one tip off or one wrong move from their part could send the whole nation under nuclear bomb-fire within days. The idea that they would be responsible for millions of lives was dawning upon them as the sun rose, and the next day would be filled with all the planning and preparation necessary to see to it that they didn't fail.

X

"She can stay here, can't she? It'll be far from the Museum and there's no way they'll be able to trace her back to here. We'll come and get her once the hit's done," said Sam as he nursed a cold cup of coffee.

Steve shook his head, "We need to keep her close. We can't come back here after the mission, it's too risky if someone follows us."

"How about someplace close to the Museum? There are a few warehouses and sheds there, she can stay put until it's done," said Nat.

"And if something goes wrong? Or if someone sees her?" asked Steve.

"She won't get spotted, she'll be hidden. And besides, she knows how to defend herself if one or two hot-shots try to get near her. They wouldn't be expecting it either so she'll have the advantage," reasoned Nat. "C'mon Steve, where else could she go? She'll probably want in on the mission as it is, don't let her feel like a liability."

Steve huffed out a breath as he leant against the shattered kitchen bench-top. "Alright."

As soon as Steve spoke, Bucky came walking into the room having showered in a nearby well that was filled with rainwater from the week before. His hair was wet and slicked back, with his clothes still as dusty as they'd been before. "So, what's the plan?" he asked.

"We picked up an internet signal today, so we're trying to get the blueprints for the Museum. We're gonna set ourselves up before they get there. Buck you're gonna be sniper." Bucky nodded. "Nat and Sam are gonna take care of the guards from the ground level and I'll deal with the Ambassador and Varkey."

"Where's Mia gonna be?" Bucky asked quietly.

Steve hesitated, so Nat replied. "She'll be in an old warehouse next to the Museum. It'll be fine, we'll give her a gun and she can stay hidden until we're finished."

Bucky's frame grew tense at hearing that. "You're gonna leave her by herself, 10 metres away from those bastards?"

"We don't have a choice. There's not enough time to come back and get her from here, we need to head for the Jordanian border as soon as we finish the job."

Bucky shook his head and spoke firmly, "He's gonna have his guards all over the place, you know what they'll do if they see her. _Oni trakhal zhivotnykhI."_

Nat straightened up. "Which is why she's gonna stay hidden until we come and get her. No one's gonna lay a hand on her, Yako _v_."

Bucky could feel his blood pressure rising at the thought of what someone from Varkey's security detail would do if they found her, alone and without protection. He knew these people, he knew how they worked and what they were capable of. It was all well and good for as long as she was in their sights and he was able to know of her whereabouts, but in this situation, she'd have to deal with dangers alone. That idea didn't sit too well with him, and it only got worse when she walked into the room.

Mia rubbed her eyes as she walked down the stairs, having just woken up and feeling all sorts of hungover without having had a sip of alcohol.

"Morning guys," she said quietly.

Sam replied, "It's 3 in the afternoon, M."

Mia's eyes widened. "Wow, why didn't you wake me?"

He shrugged. "You needed the rest, kid."

Running a hand through her hair, Mia came to a halt when she saw Bucky with a strained look on his face, matched with Nat's uneasy expression. The thick air of discomfort in the room told her that she'd walked in on a serious conversation.

"Is everything...okay?"

Steve replied, "We were just planning the mission."

"Oh, okay."

When no one from the team elaborated any further, Mia decided that it'd be best to bow out and let them resume whatever highly important conversation they'd been having before she came. "I was thinking I might take a shower—Well, not a shower, but a bath in the well." Everyone looked at her blankly. "Would that be...alright?"

Nat nodded. "Take your tooth piece and radio with you. Try not to be too long, though."

"Yeah, I'll be quick."

Mia went and grabbed the devices from a nearby table and glanced one last time at her team. When her eyes glazed over to Bucky, she found him staring resolutely at the ground and with his jaw set. _The brooding thing is nice and all but Jesus Christ, why the seriousness?!_

Mia grabbed a fresh tank top, jeans and a change of bra before she headed out of the back door and into the tree-littered plains that served as the house's backyard. The best thing about the property was that it was mostly closed off, and regardless of the fact that the interior had been thrashed about, it still possessed all the natural beauty of a rugged landscape.

The well that she was going to bathe in was less than a minute's worth of a walk from the house, and it was surrounded by fine shrubs to partially shield it from the sun. There were pebbles and stones that were scattered around it and Mia tried not to dance about too much as her feet made contact with their searing heat, peeling off her shoes and clothes as quickly as she could.

The minute that her body made contact with the cold water, Mia felt the stubborn ache from her bones dissipate and work its way into her knots. The well was shallow to a point that she was _just_ tall enough to stand up in it with only her neck and above visible. She took out her hair and let it soak in the water, revelling in the effect that it had on the barrage of heat that hit her head. It was, in a word, _satisfying_ , and the subtle sound of nature around her only sought to heighten the experience.

She stayed like that for quite a while, and although Nat had told her to be quick, it was simply too comfortable to hasten. She'd managed to wash her hair as best she could and was now massaging her neck in a way that prompted her eyes shut. She was so enamoured by the feel of it that she barely registered the rustling of leaves behind her, with her back being the part of her that was directly hit by sunlight.

Bucky had been told by Steve to go and retrieve Mia because they'd gotten word of a commotion arising in the city centre. It could've been a riot or something much simpler, such as a community gathering, but either way, Steve needed Mia to go down there and decide whether it was anything that might affect their plans for the next day. Nat had lost their internet signal _again,_ so Steve instructed her and Sam to seek out higher ground to get it back and retrieve the blueprints for their attack. With the other members busy in their own tasks, it went without saying that Bucky would be the one to tag along with Mia.

As he walked the same path that she had to reach the well, he knew that he couldn't speak too loudly when he called her name just in case there were any squatters nearby. The short trail ended when he came to a large rock that had her old clothes bundled up on it, with her fresh ones laid out carefully. He intended to step around a big bush to simply call her name and tell her of the plan, but a traitorous synapse in his brain allowed him the indulgence of looking at the well while she clung to its edge, with her back to him.

The first thought that came to mind was that he'd surely seen a moment like this in a movie before. A vague image was prodding at his mind of an actor and an actress in a similar situation, from a moment that had been stored a lifetime ago. And while there wasn't an exact memory of it, that feeling remained as he allowed himself to _really_ look at her.

The sun was shining down harshly on her already bronze skin, with the defined curves of her back exhibiting her figure in a way that he'd never really seen before. Her locks were pushed to one shoulder and the water covered her body from the waist down, leaving only a glimpse of the parallel scars he'd noticed on the plane. Her hand was currently kneading at her left shoulder, seemingly trying to work out a knot, and for reasons that were beyond his understanding, the sight left him feeling a little more flustered than he cared to admit. If he had to be honest, he'd had more than a few of those moments since he'd known her, some of which had occurred only a few hours earlier.

He was pulled from his intent gaze when she brought a handful of water and splashed it on her face, rubbing her eyes and about to turn around in the water. Realising that this went _above and beyond_ what his moral compass allowed, Bucky turned his back to her and let out a surprisingly shaky, "Mia."

Mia yelped at the sudden noise and, for some reason, tried to gather the water around her to cover herself. _Using clear water to hide your chest? Your ancestors would be proud, Mia._

"Oh my God! Bucky? What—Is everything okay?!" she asked as her back remained turned to his with her hands concealing herself.

He cleared his throat. "You...you need to get out, we have to go to the city." He might have over-compensated a _little bit_ when he added a very macho, "So...hurry up."

And with that, he set off back towards the house and willed away the _very unwelcome_ thoughts that graced his mind, leaving an equally stunned, embarrassed and confused Mia to get dried up by herself.

In a record 2 minutes, Mia was back inside the house and had slipped on the only other 'girly' piece of clothing she had bought on the trip, which was a shin length Turkish dress that Mel had gotten her from her last trip. It was of a deep, faded scarlet colour, with a slim waistline and a flowing skirt that was embroided with tiny mirror beads, along with traditional Turkish patterns along the rim. Mia had worn it more times than she could count, so it'd lost the shine of a new dress. Luckily, that's exactly why it was most fitting.

With a shawl in hand and all of her communications devices with her, Mia leapt out of the front door and found Bucky waiting for her. "Ready," she said.

He nodded and looked her over once. He hadn't seen that dress on her before, but he skipped over a thought in his head that pointed out just how much she suited traditional clothing. He cleared his throat and began walking, prompting her to fall into step a little behind him.

"So, where are the others?" she asked, still looking at the ground.

"Wilson and Natasha went north to get a satellite signal. Steve went to the Museum."

She nodded. "And...And why are we going to the city?"

"Satellite images picked up a gathering. We need to know if it's gonna interfere with the mission."

Mia looked up at him as he walked a step ahead of her, with his mouth in a firm line and that troubled look still on his face. The whole team had gone through so much since they'd arrived here, but none more so than Mia and Bucky. Although he wasn't exactly a man of many words, he was being a lot more prompt and short with his replies that day. He had a perpetual frown stuck to his features, and Mia began to fear that _she_ might have been the one to bring about this sort of mood. Deciding to take a liberty that he might be okay with, she clasped a hand on his right forearm before coming to a halt.

Bucky looked at her in surprise as he felt her timid fingers on the surface of his coarse skin. She looked hesitant, unsure even, but he stopped alongside her nonetheless and listened as she spoke with wide eyes and uncertainty in her voice. "Have I done something wrong?"

His expression softened. He hadn't expected his silence to be taken as anger, but it seemed that Mia wasn't sure what else to make of it. He let out an inaudible sigh and spoke truthfully, very aware that her palm was splayed just above his wrist.

He swallowed. "The team wants you to stay near the Museum during the mission." When he didn't get a reaction from her at that, he elaborated. "In a warehouse. Alone."

Mia laughed softly. "Is that...supposed to be a problem or...?"

The look of disbelief on Bucky's face was instant. Without so much as a word, he dropped his arm and began walking, his pace quicker than it had been before.

Mia's face fell immediately as she watched him walk away, a stutter in her heartbeat prompting her to go after him. "Buck—Hey, wait! Bucky!" Her pleas fell on deaf ears as he took long strides in the tall grass, breathing growing steadily uneven and mind swirling with memories from decades ago where fate had dealt him a similar blow. None of them understood, none of them.

"Bucky wait, please." She was now walking in a backwards fashion right in front of him, with her hands hovering above his chest as if that would somehow stop him. "What's wrong with that? I'll be safe, Bucky plea—"

He grabbed onto her wrists as he had done the night before and bore his gaze into her own, with regret and ferocity evident in it. He spoke in a voice just below a shout, "You don't fucking know these people. If they find you, they'll call ten other guards to have their way with you, and then leave your body for the crows. You thought that bastard last night was bad? You haven't seen what these men are capable of. I have. I wasone of them."

Mia's brain was rendered utterly speechless as she stood, still in his hold, but she couldn't let it end there. "If there's one thing that I know, it's what these men are capable of. I've lived amongst them my entire life. And you're a goddamn liar if you tell me you're anything like them."

Bucky let go of her wrists. "You don't know what you're talking about." He began walking again, but this time, at a slower pace.

Mia's mouth fell open. "Oh, I don't know what _I'm_ talking about? I know that you've kept me out of harm's way this entire mission, that you've done absolutely everything you can to make sure I'm not in any danger."

Bucky listened without reacting, simply walking ahead and ignoring her words for fear that he might actually believe them. That didn't stop her, though.

"How can you expect me to believe that when all you've done is protect me?" Mia paused and still trailed a few steps behind him. "I know I'm a burden for you, that you feel guilty every time you look at me."

Bucky stopped in his tracks and turned his head to her, looking on incredulously. "What?" he asked softly.

Mia swallowed. "You...I know that's why you take care of me. Because you...you feel guilty about how we met. But...," she looked down as she rubbed her palms together nervously, hating the sting that came with what she would say next. "It won't be your fault if I get hurt. You don't have to worry about me. I...I don't want to be a burden on you anymore."

Bucky's mouth melted into a deep frown at those words. He'd begun the mission expecting to have next to nothing to do with her. She'd translate for the team and do what little they asked of her, but he didn't think for a moment that he'd end up being painted an entirely different image of her, one that left him wanting to shield her from all the harshness that this place had to offer.

He didn't know whether it was because of her similarity to the woman he'd known in his first life, or if it was because of her own self...but he'd stopped seeing her as just another member of the team.

And he didn't really know when that had changed.

That's why it rendered him speechless when she called herself a burden and tried to assure him that he needn't worry about her, that he could be relieved of his efforts. The truth was, he didn't feel protective because of his guilt. If anything, he was a little selfish in his wish to keep her safe, to keep her alive. They hadn't been around each other for very long, but the feeling that he got when he was with her...it was painfully familiar. And the idea of an enemy getting their hands on her shouldn't have affected him the way that it did, but his reaction spoke differently.

Bucky cleared his throat lowly and looked down as he said, "You're not a burden."

Mia laughed humourlessly. "You've had to baby sit me this entire mission, Bucky. You'd have been better off with Steve and Nat, devising strategies and putting your skills to use. But instead, you've had to watch me cry 20 times and wake me up whenever I've had a nightmare."

Bucky shook his head lightly, surprising even himself with what he was about to say. "I wouldn't change it."

Mia's head shot up and her lips parted slightly, not expecting to hear something like that come from him, especially not in a moment like this. She was about to say something, something that might have changed whatever it was they were dancing on the brink of, if it was even anything. She could've spoken words that would jar him, maybe something that would make him realise just what this meant to him. Maybe she might've said something that would bring her out of denial as to what she was beginning to feel.

...But alas, things didn't work that way.

The sound of loud clattering filled their ears as both their heads shifted to the direction of the city centre that lay a few hundred metres away. Bucky took on a concentrated look and Mia waited for his call. He simply glanced back at her, and she understood to follow him, walking towards the city and away from the sunset that was only an hour away.

The sounds of people hollering and shouting came from 20 metres in the distance. This was probably the gathering that Steve had told them about, and while they were cautious as to what it could be regarding, the unusual sound of laughter and scrambled chanting gave them the idea that this wasn't a sombre occasion.

Bucky was the first to make his way from behind the buildings and onto the pavement of the main city lane. Mia followed, and she could hardly believe her eyes as she took in the sight in front of her. The smile on her face was immediate, and her heart filled with the kind of excitement that she hadn't felt since forever.

The first sight they were met with was 2 dozen women clapping rhythmically and lightly dancing to a song they were all chanting. They ranged from very young to quite old, all clad in rugged clothes and dusty shoes, but faces painted with carefree smiles that were rare in this part of the world.

Just behind them was a large crowd that consisted of teenagers and young children, all jumping with their hands draped across one another's shoulders, chanting something in Arabic that Mia had to hear a few times before understanding. There were men in the background who were standing in small groups, some starting a large bonfire and others collecting food that had just been delivered from the UNICEF trucks that Azim had been running. Bucky looked around with guarded curiosity, wondering what on Earth could have warranted this type of celebration. But soon after, Mia dispelled his queries.

She heard a few men conversing nearby. "A town north from here was given complete asylum by the German Government today," said Mia over the roar of the crowd. "They're saying 'thank you God for saving our families'.

Bucky drew his brows in confusion. "Did they know those people?"

Mia laughed a little. "No, the town's on the other side of Syria."

"And they're still celebrating?"

Mia nodded and looked up at him. "If one part of the country aches, everyone feels it. And if one part rejoices...then it's a victory for them all." Mia smiled a little, recalling memories from long ago. "It's always been that way."

He'd never heard of a country like that, of people like that. He found that every day he spent on this land, surrounded by its nature, he was learning something new. He was discovering things that just couldn't be realised in the States, and he was a little grateful that he had a chance to see this, regardless of how terrible the circumstances were.

Mia knew that it would be in her best interests to keep a low profile for the time that they were there, but the energy of the people was intoxicating. There was food sizzling on the far corner of the lane, with men gathered around and hard at work preparing the night's hot meal, the second one that the people would have had all week. There were women who were furiously kneading at some dough, the ingredients for which had graciously been delivered as a rare gift from the higher ups. Some were tending to the stove on which they were warming up the bread, and others were adding the finishing herbs to crisp it to perfection.

Mia had thought that they would do a round or two of the gathering and make sure that there was nothing too out of the ordinary, meaning that their plans for tomorrow wouldn't be interrupted by the impromptu event. But somehow, things never went as planned when it came to Miriya, and it had gotten to a point where it _really_ shouldn't surprise her anymore.

The sun was in its final stages before setting, painting the sky with a deep pink and tinging the air with a gorgeous dye. Bucky was walking parallel to Mia on the other side of the lane, sifting through the locals and taking in the environment. Mia's shawl was wrapped lightly around her head, so she didn't expect anyone to take too much notice of her, let alone recognise her. But as she neared the end of the street and stood close to a group of seated women, she heard her name being called over the mix of sounds.

"Miriya! Miriya!" said a feminine voice.

She turned around and found none other than Samara waving at her with a large smile, getting up from her seated position and earning a few confused stares from the other women.

Mia broke out into a smile as she walked towards her, opening her arms to engulf her in a bear hug that consumed the little, old lady. " _Khaala!_ How are you? How have you been?"

"You see the people, they are happy today, and so am I. But never mind that, how are you, my dear? Have you eaten? Come, there is still plenty to spare." She took Mia by the hand and exhibited a surprising amount of strength as she dragged her to a stall nearby. Before Mia could even begin to protest, she had begun calling out her brother's name. "Azim! Azim! Look who's back!"

 _Oh dear God, please save me from the spotlight._

Thankfully for her, not too many people were concerned by her presence and so they continued on with their own tasks. But Mia couldn't explain the warmth that spread through her veins as she saw Azim wipe his hands on a towel and let out a smile at the sight of her.

"Ah, and the prodigal daughter returns." He brought an arm around to hug Mia, as she closed her eyes and revelled in its comfort. "I didn't think you would come back, Miriya."

She laughed softly. "Well, I couldn't let you have a party without me."

He nodded his head. "We are grateful that so many people will be saved. The German government has been very kind to us."

"They have. And hopefully others will do the same."

He shrugged. "We shall see."

Samara poked her head in between the two of them charmingly. "Miriya, where is that boy of yours? He said he would be here to bring you back."

Mia was about to come up with every excuse in the book, but Azim's keen eye beat her to the punch. "He is there," he pointed. "Yaqub!"

Bucky's ears pricked up at hearing his faux name, and he hadn't even noticed that Mia had been apprehended by the two siblings. Putting on a small smile, he walked towards them from the left side of the lane, wafting his hand in front of him to dispel the smoke from the barbeque being cooked just metres away.

Samara clapped her hands in happiness. "Ah, Yaqub! I was afraid that you wouldn't keep your promise."

Mia still couldn't understand how _good_ his Arabic was, regardless of the fact that he probably hadn't lived in the Arab world for very long. "I couldn't do that."

"How long are you here for?" asked Azim as he clapped a hand on Bucky's shoulder, thankfully his right one.

"I'm afraid we are leaving now. It's a long journey to Junyad."

Samara gasped audibly. "Nonsense! The entire city is celebrating, you cannot leave now."

Mia chimed in. "It'd be better if we left now, _khaala_. The roads would be clear of soldiers."

She shook her head. "It is almost nightfall, and there is little travel you could do at this time as it is. You will stay for a meal and that is final."

Although Mia knew it probably wasn't wise to do so, she couldn't help but feel excited at the idea of spending time amongst her people, especially in a way like this. It was a happy occasion, a time in which they were surrounded by singing and laughter. Her mind was urging her to go back to base with Bucky, but her heart was willing her to stay.

Apparently Bucky had a similar idea in mind, so he nodded and looked over at Mia only to find her waiting for his reaction warily. She didn't know whether he was okay after their heatedly honest conversation during the walk there, but when he let out a small reassuring smile and nodded lightly, she felt an indescribable weight lift from her shoulders.

"Come, Miriya. You must meet the others," said Samara as she guided her back to the group. Mia turned back and shot her teammate an apologetic smile, before keeping up with Samara's rapid pace. She would have to be unbelievably convincing in her role as a full-blooded Syrian when she met other people, so she prepared herself as they all looked upon her curiously.

"Ladies, this is Miriya. She came from Junyad a few days ago. Miriya this is Laya, Nazyah...". Mia smiled fondly at all the women she was introduced to, adoring the way that they responded in kind. They were currently seated on makeshift seats made of logs with some cooking food and others eating it. She sat down and spoke to them in her language, trying to recall the last time when she did something like this, if ever. They asked her about her family and her city, wanting to know more about the place she supposedly hailed from, and Mia couldn't stand the thought of lying so blatantly. So instead, she described her real hometown to them, without giving it away. She talked about her parents as if they were still alive, and she spoke of her brother as though he was only a few miles away.

A lot of the women she was surrounded by were of her age or a little older. The surprising thing to Mia was that even though they had grown up in a different world to her and had experiences that she couldn't fathom, the basis of what they felt was the exact same. Some ladies talked about their husbands or their children, complained that they never listened to them or that their in-laws were giving them a rough time. Amidst talking about the war and how they were coping, Mia could hardly believe how _normal_ some of the conversations were.

"—and I understand that he has to work, but he leaves before dawn and comes back to us so late at night. I barely see him anymore," said the woman sitting on Mia's right.

"If he comes back after you have fallen asleep, then when do you both get some time to yourselves?" asked an older lady.

"We don't! Between getting food for the children and trying to process our visas, we haven't had time in over a month!"

Almost all the women gasped collectively, and Mia was trying to hone in her features. _A month?! Imagine if they knew how long I've gone without some 'alone time'. Man, some of these 50-year-olds are getting more action than me._

"How have you survived?"

The woman shrugged and continued as though she were talking about the weather or margarine spread. "It hasn't been easy but...I've gotten through it."

"He can't just abandon your needs like that. You should confront him!"

All the women surrounding her let out a combined shout of agreeance, and Mia joined in. Just because she wasn't gettin' any, doesn't mean that she would want her fellow sisters to go through the same hellish torment.

"Is he here right now?" asked Samara.

The woman turned around and tried to spot him among the sea of men. A few moments passed and she replied, "Yes, he's standing with my cousin."

"Then tell him how you feel, tonight! Don't let this linger on any longer. It is not healthy, physically _or_ mentally. This type of thing can cause much strain on a marriage," said Samara.

The woman let out a helpless laugh. "I can't just tell him, _khaala._ "

"What nonsense, of course you can!" She spoke over the shouts of agreeance. "He has every right in the world to be satisfied, but so do you. And if he is neglecting your needs, then it is your right to tell him about it. What harm can come out of this?"

The woman seemed to mull over the thought for a little while, and Mia waited with anticipation. The food in her lap was all but forgotten as she watched the woman get to her feet, sling her long brown hair over one shoulder and dust off her old but beautiful dress. All eyes were on her as she zoned in on her husband, prepared to make her statement boldly and with all the confidence that a wife should possess. The women began to cheer her on as she shot them one last nervous glance, all yelling in Arabic and urging her to be brave. She smiled a little and took the first step, followed by the second and the third. And within moments, she was walking towards him without turning back.

"Ladies, look away so he doesn't think we've put her up to this," said another woman.

The entire group looked down at their laps before letting out a few laughs and resuming their eating. Samara was called away by someone, leaving Mia without a buffer. But regardless of how little she knew these ladies, she couldn't help but feel safe in their company.

...That was, of course, until they started asking some deeper questions.

Mia was taking a bite into the _deliciously_ fattening bread that some of the older ladies had made, when the young woman she knew to be Nazyah addressed her.

"So Miriya, do you have a husband back home?"

Mia chewed slowly and replied, "No, I don't."

A few girls let out surprised gasps. "But why? You're so beautiful!"

Mia laughed lightly, brushing off the compliment. "Well, that's very kind of you but I just have to wait for a man to think the same thing now."

"Surely there's someone. If not a husband, then maybe a relative that you're fond of? Maybe a close friend?" asked Laya.

Mia shook her head, hating that there _was_ in fact a face that came to mind. And it wasn't the sort of thing she'd been having trouble brushing off before. But then so much had _happened_ since she'd known him, and she couldn't help but think that so many things had been exchanged between the two of them, without a single word being uttered. If she was being honest, she'd never had that before.

...But it was silly, and even more than that, it wasn't remotely possible. She would pin it down as delusions on her part and leave it at that. Best not to even entertain such an outlandish idea. "No one."

"Well, if you were staying here for a little longer then perhaps we could have helped you out with that. There are many young men here looking for companions, strong honourable men." Nazyah leaned in, "And easy on the eyes too."

Mia let out a laugh and shook her head, not believing that amidst a warzone, _this_ was the trending topic to discuss. But nevertheless, girls will be girls.

She was about to continue on with her eating, being the ever-fatty that she was, when one of the girls on her left frantically shook her forearm along with someone else's. Alarmed and automatically assuming the worst, Mia turned her head and asked, "What's wrong?"

The 20-something-year-old girl simply stared with wide eyes at whatever was in her line of sight and asked mostly to herself, "Who is...that?"

Mia's head swivelled around, as did the other girls', and she shouldn't have been particularly surprised when she found all 10 or so heads pointed at a tall, dark-haired and slightly bearded man who was standing in the middle of a conversation with Azim.

As the other girls looked on with wide eyes and slightly agape mouths, Mia stifled a laugh and couldn't help but wonder if she'd have had the same reaction at seeing Bucky for the first time, had he not almost choked her to death. He sure was something, though. And before Mia could catalogue the things that were undeniably attractive about him, the girls did it for her.

"My God, look at his face."

"No, no, no! Why is the beard hiding his jawline?"

"Shush! The beard suits him, it goes well with the hair."

"I want to run my hands through his hair so bad."

"Why is he wearing gloves?"

"My _God_ , look at his legs. I bet they'd be good for—"

"I'm gonna go talk to him!" exclaimed Nazyah. Mia had been laughing along until that point, where she snapped her head in the girl's direction, her previously warm feelings towards her dissipating into thin air.

"But you don't even know who he is, Nazyah," said Laya.

She shrugged. "He's talking to _khaalu_ Azim, so he must be from out of town. If that's the case, then he's probably travelled for a long time and I bet he wouldn't mind some company."

"We all know what you mean by _company_ , Nazyah," said another woman as she giggled softly.

"Well, men are men no matter where they come from," she said slyly.

As Nazyah began to get up from her seated position, Mia couldn't decide whether to politely tell her that she was here with him, or to send a flying kick to her face with all the force of a lifetime's worth of training. As much as her blood boiled at the sight of a smug Nazyah swaying her hips a little more in her short dress as she walked towards Bucky, she knew that this wasn't the time nor the place to draw attention to herself. She'd simply have to sit back and wait to see what happened.

...And remind herself that dislodging people's limbs wasn't acceptable in today's society.

While Mia's face was visibly becoming redder, Laya leaned in and said to a few of the girls, "Who wants to bet that's the last time we'll be seeing her tonight?"

"It's not fair! She gets all the boys from here _and_ she gets the foreigners?!" complained one of the girls.

"It's not like we stand a chance in front of her, anyway," quietly said a girl named Elissa.

Mia turned towards her. "What are you talking about? You're gorgeous."

Elissa's face sparked up a little, and Mia wondered how long it had been since someone had told these girls something like that. "You all are."

"But we're not _that_ ," said Laya as she pointed towards Nazyah, who was still only hovering near Bucky, but hadn't actually interacted with him yet. "It's hard to get people's attention when you're competing with people like her."

Mia quietened at that, understanding completely what the girls were getting at. But it saddened her nonetheless. Insecurities and jealousy were universal, she supposed. And before she could get a few words of encouragement in, the girls all pointed in Nazyah's direction, waiting for the mystery man's reaction upon seeing her.

Unbeknownst to Mia, Bucky had been talking to Azim about something she could _never_ have expected. If he was being honest, there wasn't a cell in his brain that had actually believed that Azim would piece things together. Sure, there was a _possibility_ of it happening, but as far as the likelihood went, it wasn't very high. Even after being on this planet for almost a century, Bucky found that some things still surprised the _shit_ out of him.

"I know who you are, Yaqub."

Bucky stilled. Azim was cleaning his dirtied glasses on a tea towel and had a smirk on his face as he continued.

"For the last 7 years, I have been visiting Junyad at least twice a month _every_ month for ration deliveries. I confess, I didn't piece it together at first, but when I thought back and realised that I had never seen you _nor_ Miriya even once before now...it all became a little clearer."

Bucky's jaw was set and his eyes never faltered from Azim's. They were in a highly crowded area, so there was no real way of getting around it. But he would wait and see what the older man had to say first, before taking measures that he _really_ didn't want to take.

"Although I must say, your Arabic is very convincing. But it was not the Arabic that is spoken in these parts of Syria. I lived in Yemen for a while, and the more I thought about it...the more I couldn't shake the idea that you were not from here." Azim looked up at Bucky and shook his head. "I don't know which agency has sent you, and truthfully, I don't care. I just want to know if she was brought here against her will."

Bucky didn't need to ask who he was referring to, and something about the sadness in the man's eyes told him that he was fearful for Mia's safety for a much more personal reason. "We're not who you think we are."

"Are you not here to gather intelligence for a foreign government? That would be the most likely reason."

Bucky shook his head slightly. "This country is at the mercy of powerful people who don't care for it. We're here to stop that."

Azim stared him down, trying to find dishonesty in his eyes as well as his words. He repeated softly, "Was she brought here against her will?"

Bucky shook his head. "She came to protect her country."

Azim let out a breath. "Does she...does she have a family here?"

He shook his head. "They were killed."

A sombre silence ensued between the two of them, backgrounded by the roar of people laughing and children singing. It was hardly the conversation he thought he'd be having tonight, but Bucky's gut told him that this man could be trusted. And all that he said after that only confirmed it.

"You needn't worry about me sharing this with anyone. That is not any of my concern." Azim paused before saying, "But you have been entrusted with her. Protect her, Yaqub. Her parents may not have asked you to do so, but she was once someone's daughter."

His eyes were now shining with tears that Bucky wouldn't expect to see from someone as ebullient as Azim. Perhaps there was a story behind his concern for Mia, a child or a wife lost. There may have been regrets attached to his worry for a person he didn't even know. And just as Mia had managed to remind Bucky of someone he'd once known...perhaps she had done the same for Azim.

"Do you have a daughter?"

Azim smiled sadly. "She was very beautiful." He laughed a little before saying, "Although, I never would have let her near handsome young men such as yourself."

Bucky himself laughed softly at that, and apparently that was when Nazyah found it best to bring herself into the conversation.

" _Khaalu_ Azim! How are you?" she said, with an overly bright smile on display as she stood between the two of them.

Azim nodded, seemingly a little annoyed by her presence. "I am well, Nazyah. And you?"

"Well, I'm happy that we're celebrating tonight." She looked towards Bucky, as though she were waiting for him to immediately fall to his knees in worship at the sight of her. Instead, he was doing his own appraising, but of a different kind.

She was _undeniably_ beautiful, that went without saying. Her hair ran past her shoulder and was of a base brown colour that complimented her green eyes with exuberance. Her face possessed all the symmetry that was associated with attractivenes, and Bucky had no doubt in his mind that she had reaped the benefits of such God-given beauty.

"And, you are?" she asked coyly.

"This is Yaqub," replied Azim a little gruffly. "Yaqub, this is Nazyah."

Bucky nodded and kept his eyes lowered, thinking that this would be his cue to leave.

...Unfortunately, he was wrong.

"So, are you from nearby?"

Bucky nodded. "Junyad."

"Ah. And how long will you be with us?"

Bucky was about to reply with a short, succinct answer but apparently Azim had more of a problem with her than he did. "He will leave tomorrow," he said bluntly.

Nazyah visibly saddened at the sound of that. "Oh, that's not very long." Whether it was because she was oblivious to Azim's presence or she just didn't care about it, Bucky didn't know. But she didn't have a problem leaning in and placing a hand on his right forearm, before saying quietly, "Well then, you should make the last night a memorable one."

Before Bucky could even formulate a response, Azim butted in, "He has a fiancé, Nazyah."

Her face fell. "A...fiancé?"

Azim nudged Bucky subtly, so he cleared his throat and replied, "Yes."

Azim was suddenly called away by someone, and so that left the two of them alone among a sea of people. Bucky looked around awkwardly, being in a position that he _really_ wasn't used to being in. Nazyah, however, figured she may as well try her luck. What did she have to lose?

"Y'know, I'm sure your _fiancé_ wouldn't mind if you had a house to rest in tonight. My one is just down the street." She stood in front of him so that there was barely any space separating them. "It gets a little crowded out here at night, so it might be a good place if you wanted to get some rest."

That was _really_ toeing the line.

Bucky tried to evade her without seeming harsh, though the unimpressed look on his face was a dead giveaway. "I think I'll be fine out here."

She laughed. "Oh, come one." She brought a hand up to scrape the side of his clenched jaw. "You look so tense. I just think you need some rest, is all."

The entire time that they had been speaking, Bucky hadn't noticed that Mia was watching from afar, inwardly aching for him to stop Nazyah's advances. She couldn't explain _why_ she wanted him to completely shut her down, but all she knew was that her heart was hurting a little more every minute that he stood there and entertained her. That sentiment was heightened exponentially when Nazyah brought _a hand to his jaw_ and ran her thumb across it, saying something that Mia couldn't lip-read.

She looked away and felt her breathing grow a little, hating that he did nothing to stop Nazyah and _loathing_ that she even cared in the first place. She began aggressively tearing the bread in her hand to pieces, eating them with tenacity and finding solace in carbohydrates like she always did.

 _Stupid green eyes and brown hair. She could've gone after anyone, but no, she had to pick him. And that idiot's not even doing anything!_

"Miriya?" asked Elissa from behind her.

 _-stupid beard and tanned skin. You know what? He can do whatever the hell he wants. Watch how little I care._

"Hey, Miriya?" asked another girl.

 _-hope he has fun contracting genital herpes. I should just walk back to base right now and leave him to have his fun. Should've known better than—_

"Miriya!" said Elissa as she shook her arm, pulling her from her aggressive eating and berating thoughts.

"Yes?! Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

Mia smiled a little too widely. "Absolutely! Why?"

The girls looked at each other a little confusedly. "You were just..a little—Never mind! Come," Elissa grabbed her hand. "Samara's calling us."

Mia thought to look back and sneak another glance at her occupied partner, but decided better of it as they hurried towards where Samara was. She was fooling herself into letting this be a bigger thing than it was. Her and Bucky...they were teammates, and they worked well together. But what promise had me made her that gave her the right to feel jealous? When she thought about it, she didn't even know that much about him. His life was independent of hers, and what he did was up to him. The answer was simple, and so she'd have to accept that. 

The 10 girls found Samara standing near the bonfire with an Arabic drum known as the ' _duff'_ in her hand. It was tattered and rather old, but she played a few beats and sure enough, it sounded as good as new. The combined confusion on the girls' faces brought a cheeky smile to Samara's, making her say, "Tonight is a night where we enjoy, my darlings. Laya, bring the other women and the children."

The girls were giggling amongst themselves when Samara began to play a simple beat, leading them to make a sloppy circle around the bonfire. "You are the youth, my dears. Make your voices loud when you sing, and give your people something to smile about." Her smile became downright mischievous when she followed that up with, "And when you dance, remember who's watching."

The sound of laughter emitted from the girls was perhaps one of the most contagious things Mia had ever heard. She found herself between Elissa and a girl who couldn't have been older than 16, clapping along to a song that she didn't know. Samara played the _duff_ beautifully, with an infectious energy that saw people turning their heads towards the sound within a matter of minutes.

"This is one we all know, ladies. Remember, loud and clear!"

The circle around the fire was now filled by almost 50 women; young, old and somewhere in between. They were all clapping and singing along to a song that had people coming to watch them in hoards. Laya was the first to begin the steps of a traditional Syrian dance, letting her dress sway hypnotically from one side to the other. A few women were quick to learn and joined in with her, letting the sound of the music fill their heart with contentment and their expressions with smiles.

The men whistled good-naturedly and some even sang along, standing in a crowd and watching a scene unfold that their eyes hadn't beheld in what seemed like a lifetime. Some fathers cheered on their daughters as they sang along, while some husbands looked at the wives like they were they only things they could see. The children that had joined in held hands with some of the older girls, being taught some dances that they hadn't seen before.

One little girl clasped onto Mia's hand when the group began to do the _dabka_ , which was a series of steps done in a circle by all the women while their hands were joined. She smiled up giddily and Mia, and she felt her heart promptly melt into mush at the sight. She sang along to a song that _she'd_ grown up with, about a blushing bride on her wedding night and how beautiful she looked in the moonlight. Some of the words were messed up and the girls were having a tough time standing up straight with all the laughing they were doing as they danced, but _God_ it felt amazing.

Bucky had managed to leave his unwanted temptress right as the music began to play, and he couldn't have been more thankful for the timing. He made his way over to the crowd of a few hundred people, and tried to get a glimpse at the women who were dancing around the alluring flames that burned bright at their centre. The men around him began clapping as well, with some of them holding their children on their heads and others nudging each other, pointing out beautiful girls and how much they'd love to dance with them too.

He snaked around towards the left side of the crowd to where there were fewer people, and managed to find a slightly obscured spot at the corner of an alley just a few metres away from the scene before him. The young ladies were all similarly clothed in skirts or dresses, with their hair cascading down their backs. Their shoes were off as they danced atop the sandy concrete with their arms draped around one another, each smiling brighter than the next.

But even among the beauty that was in front of him, his eyes sought her out almost immediately. Her dress fluttered every time her leg came up in a step of her traditional dance, with her long hair rippled down either side of her shoulders. She was hand in hand with a girl who wasn't older than 5, looking up at her as though she was everything she aspired to be some day. She tried to mimic Mia's steps, but failed on more than one occasion and stumbled about, leaving his teammate in a fit of laughter as she sang along indecipherably.

He'd seen her in a few situations by now. He'd seen her angry and hurt, even afraid, like she had been after she'd seen the dream. He'd seen her ravenous with hate, just as she'd been the previous night after spending her time at the mansion. Earlier that day, he'd seen her worried when she was in the middle of an argument of sorts with him, perhaps wrapt with anxiety that he would be upset at her. But this...he'd never seen her like this.

There wasn't a trace of sadness on her face. Her head was thrown back and her eyes were crinkled almost shut from her smile, with the most gorgeous sound of laughter falling from her lips over the beat of the drum. She was surrounded by blue eyes and green eyes, even grey ones. But in that moment, with the flame reflecting her skin and the dust sweeping up to haze their midst, he couldn't take his eyes away from her brown ones.

Just a few hours earlier, she'd been surrounded by millions of dollars worth of dresses, jewellery and food alone. She'd gotten a chance to walk among the rich and the influential, people that she'd never had the opportunity to know otherwise. Those people had the power to move mountains with their resources and pockets, and everything they did was dictated by abundance and luxury.

...And here she was, standing toe to toe with the poorest people in the East. Her clothes were dust-ridden and the soles of her feet were cut from the rubble she walked among. The people around her sported tears in every piece of clothing they owned, and lived under rooves made of palm leaves. They were easily pleased, with the sound of a drum and slurred singing being the reason for their contentment. He knew that she was aware of the truth of this place, that a missile could land on these people without a moment's notice, and that those companion's and their stories would cease to exist with them. There were no guarded fortresses, nor was there any protection from lurking threats. And yet, none of that mattered to her. Bucky knew that he finally had a chance to see her live out this feeling; a feeling of unhinged, fleeting, _consuming_ happiness.

"You don't see that in Brooklyn."

Bucky jerked at the sound of a familiar voice behind him, wondering _how the hell_ he hadn't heard him coming. "What the f—Steve."

He was standing on the adjacent corner of the alley that Bucky had been leaning on, and had put on a hoodie that obscured most of his face. Bucky relaxed his frame and tried not to make it obvious that he was talking to anyone as Steve continued.

"So, the gathering was a party."

Bucky hummed in agreement. "A town got liberated up north. They're celebrating."

"Any heat?"

Bucky shook his head, with his hands now in his jean pockets. "No, it was pretty quiet." _Oh shit, actually wait..._

"Azim knows."

"Azim knows what?" asked Steve, voice a little panicked.

"Enough." Bucky paused. "He's not a threat."

"How can you—"

"Steve." He turned his head slightly, now facing the shadow of the alley. "He's not a threat."

Steve let out a breath of air, obviously not too keen on continuing a conversation with such stakes at their very unsecure environment. The two elapsed into silence, with the rhythmic beating of the _duff_ changing as the new song took on a quicker pace.

"She's beautiful," noted Steve. Bucky didn't respond, but by _God_ he couldn't agree more. "She's really taken to this place."

"They're her people."

Steve turned his head so he could see Bucky's profile, and the way that his eyes were trained on Mia unwaveringly. He'd been with his best friend through every girl he'd ever liked. He'd seen him go through the stages of interest, and then denial, and then ultimate acceptance that he was unwittingly falling for them. He knew which signs to look for and around which time they'd come into play, but with Mia...it'd all been a little mixed up.

With her, it had begun with him keeping his distance and a wary eye out for her. Then as time went on, he grew a little protective of her presence, a little more interested in keeping her safe. Steve knew that when his friend had seen her just before the party, there was a flicker in his eye that hadn't been there since 1944. He hadn't heard how Bucky reacted when he saw Mia dancing with other men at the mansion, but he knew him well enough to guess. His fears of her getting hurt and his anger when that possibility came to light had all added up, and for Steve...he'd never seen his friend look at someone the way he was right now.

"It'd be good if you talked to her, y'know."

Bucky snapped his head to look at Steve. "What?"

"Mia. You should talk to her."

"About what?"

Steve let out a short laugh. "You're not foolin' anyone, Buck."

Bucky shook his head as though his friend was delusional. "You're outta your mind."

"I don't think so. Actually, I think you agree with me."

Bucky snickered softly. "I think your head's fucked up from getting pounded by that Frisbee of yours."

"Probably. Doesn't change this, though." Bucky quietened, unsure whether he should verbalise the thousand thoughts that were racing through his head, or simply keep them hushed and unaddressed for the little time they had left. Thankfully, Steve spoke for him.

"She feels the same, y'know."

Bucky shook his head, not willing to entertain that thought for even a second. "You're wrong."

"It's obvious, Buck."

"You don't know that," he reasoned.

"Anyone with a pair'a eyes and half a brain can put it together when she looks at you the way she does." Bucky could feel his breath becoming uneven, just at the _implication_ that his words were true. It should've made him happy, or at least satisfied to know that.

Instead...it scared the fuck out of him.

"It can't be that surprising, Buck."

"S'because it's not true."

"It's true, Barnes," said Natasha through the earpiece. Bucky had forgotten entirely that she was even able to listen in on their conversations, let alone was privy to something like this.

"Get out, Natalia."

"No." She sounded like she was eating _popcorn_ as she continued speaking. "It's boringly obvious."

"That's right," nodded Steve.

Bucky rolled his eyes, still aware that people might think he was talking to himself. "She's never said anything."

"Because she'd be scared to fucking death that you'll reject her," chimed in Sam, eating a similarly crunchy snack. "Think about it, would _you_ wanna confess your feelings to _you_?"

 _...This motherfucker has a point_.

"It doesn't matter. I'm not interested."

The three teammates on the earpiece groaned in unison and began spilling out their disapproval.

"Man, I call _bullshit_. That is—"

"—had an aneurism when you saw her in that dress, Yakov. She's too blind—"

"—gotta say something to her, Buck. What's the worst—"

As he continued to try and zone out the ramblings of his teammates, Bucky's frame became rigid as he noticed men joining in on the circle of dancing women, linking hands and singing along to the music. There was a young man on Mia's left who looked charming in his own right, dancing comically and making the girls around him laugh cheerily. Mia herself let out a few giggles, but was more focused on the child still clinging to her right hand and taking her chance at a few different steps.

"Why'd Barnes go quiet?" asked Nat.

Steve poked his head out from the alleyway to see what he was staring at. His lips curled into a smile as he said, "Someone's dancin' with his girl."

Bucky shot a stern glance his way before copping another earful.

"Jesus, grow a pair and _claim_ your woman, boy! Whatchu waitin' around for?" asked Sam.

"Fuck off, Wilson."

Before anyone could further the idea of Bucky Barnes actually _dancing_ in front of a crowd, he perked up at the sight of Azim calling Mia to come towards him. He could see how much she didn't want to leave, as she reluctantly let go of the child's hand and placed it in the man's to keep the circle unbroken. He looked on after her as she walked away, and Bucky figured that the hot-shot had probably thought he'd get lucky with her tonight. _Fucking idiot._

When Mia caught up with Azim, she wiped off the light sheen of sweat from her forehead and fixed her hair, rested both hands on her hips and tried to catch her breath. They were standing towards the back of the crowd, where there weren't too many people, and Mia couldn't understand why Azim had called her there in the first place.

"Is everything okay, _khaalu_?"

Azim had a partially ripped cotton bag with him, seemingly filled with many things. He looked at her without his usual glasses, and Mia saw a tinge of sadness sewn into his features.

"Yaqub told me you were leaving tonight."

Mia let her shoulders sag in genuine disappointment. Among the dancing and the cheering, she'd forgotten that this was, in actuality, her last night in Syria. By tomorrow, they'd be driving to the border as soon as the mission was complete, and that would be that.

"Yes, _khaalu_. I'm afraid so."

He looked down to the bag in his hands and seemed to mull over a question before finally posing it. "Were you..." He looked up. "Are you from here, Miriya?"

Mia was taken aback by that and was about to reply when he added, "I spoke to your friend." He laughed a little. "He makes for a convincing Syrian."

Mia's mouth was agape and she didn't know whether he was joking or if there was seriousness to what he was saying. "I'm...I—"

He laid a hand on her shoulder and smiled that warm smile he always did. "Fear not, _habibti_. Your secret is locked in my heart. But I wish to know if this," he pointed to their surroundings, "...if Aleppo is your home."

Mia suddenly wished that she had Nat or Steve in her ear, telling her what to say and how to say it. But for some reason, she hadn't been hearing any chatter from her earpiece the entire night, and she didn't think that was going to change within the next few seconds. She figured that if there had been a serious problem, Bucky would've already whisked her away by now.

...Unless, of course, he was busy with the temptresses of Aleppo...

Throwing caution to the wind, Mia took solace in the truth and nodded, "We lived near Biriva."

He brought his hand down from her shoulder and asked, "And your parents' names?"

She swallowed. "Ta...Tanya and Joseph Alfiyan."

Azim tried hard to attach familiarity with the names he was hearing, and he was sure he had come across them before. But after a lifetime's worth of meeting new people and helping countless, his memory had been known to fail him.

"Did you know them?" she asked softly.

He shook his head. "I'm afraid it was another life, Miriya."

She nodded understandingly, unsure of what to say from there on. But a thought came to her mind. She wanted him to know that she wasn't forsaking them, that she wasn't here to simply show her face then leave. This place, her home...it all meant so much more to her than that.

"I'll do my best to help the people here, _khaalu_. I promise."

He smiled as he ran a hand through his small beard. A few moments of silence were broken by his wobbly voice, saying something that comforted her beyond measure.

"I don't know why you're here, Miriya. But I do know this," he said as he brought a hand to clasp hers tightly, a feeling that she couldn't help but revel in. "Nobody walks into a warzone unless they think what they're doing is right. And Miriya, I have faith that whatever you do...it will only be for the betterment of your people."

She couldn't control her shiny eyes and quivering chin at hearing something as simple as that. She looked down at their joined hands and nodded her head, smiling a little as she thanked him.

Bucky walked in on the scene unfolding just as she did so, and he didn't like the fact that she had to leave. But, it was time.

"Mia."

She turned her head to find him standing there with an apologetic look, still speaking in her native language. "We have to go."

She nodded. "I know."

Azim didn't hesitate to bring his arms around her in the sort of hug kids adore from their grandparents. She clung on, hopelessly wishing that she'd get this feeling again someday, if not from her own uncle then from a person like Azim who she could believe in. But if this was the last time, then she was grateful.

"Here. I have some leftover food for you two." He held out the bag and said, "You are too thin, Miriya."

She laughed. "Alright, _khaalu_."

"And you," he turned to Bucky. "Don't waste your time with the Nazyah's of this world. And don't...don't take her for granted," he said pointing to her.

Mia's lips parted and she felt her heart swell, even more so when Bucky replied, "I won't."

The men shook hands and gazed at each other, seemingly speaking without uttering a word. It perplexed Mia, but now was not the moment for her mind to wander.

"Tell _khaala_ that I'll miss her." She tried to extend her time, stretching each second to last a little longer. "Thank you, _khaalu_."

He nodded, raising a hand to wave them goodbye. Bucky held her forearm and began to snake her through the crowd, trying to find the quickest way out of the street as possible. Mia glanced back a few times at the man who'd helped her so much during her time here, and it left her heart in pieces to know that they may never meet again.

On the way, Mia caught one final glimpse of the bonfire and the women now dancing lazily around it. Some men were still singing and others were hugging the women in their lives, swaying to the music. Mia only tore her eyes away when she felt Bucky's gloved hand slip into hers, still moving swiftly through the people. Her gaze left their twined fingers in time for her to see Nazyah's reaction when she saw them, hand in hand. Her face had fallen and sheer annoyance took over as she sent the most chilling of looks Mia's way.

 _Fuck. Yes._

It wasn't long before they were at the buildings which lead to the grassy plains they needed to walk across. The second their feet left the concrete, both Mia and Bucky let out a sigh of relief as their bodies remained close, with the moonlight guiding their way. It was bittersweet, to say the least...but it wouldn't have meant what it did if it lasted forever.

And now...now it was time to finish the mission and save her people, once and for all. They would have to battle Hell and high water, but after seeing the joy that the people of Syria deserved, she wanted nothing more than to make it happen.

X

 _Bent je preko mog stole_ _odmah_ – Have her bent over my desk right now

 _Oni trakhal zhivotnykhI_ – They're fucking animals


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes: Hiyaaaa everybody! I hope y'all have had an amazing week, complete with fatty foods and chocolate chip ice-cream, oh yeahhhhhhh :'))) This has to have been one of my favourite chapters to write, and I'm so happy that the characters are getting to grow as the weeks go on. I hope that y'all are enjoying it, and I'm so beyond grateful that you've actually stuck around to this part of the story :') Many many more good things to come, and I can't wait to hear what you guys think! Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 11

How the hell did he get here?

The last thing he remembered was being in the city centre with Mia and Steve, hovering around the bonfire and then walking back to base. But now...now he was somewhere completely different.

At that moment, he was sitting in the middle of endless grassland, watching the setting sun fade from view with every second that passed. His hands were supporting him as he reclined a little, with his head lulled to the side and his eyes fixed on a girl picking lavenders from a sea of purple. She was a little too far away for him to see her face, but by the way that her skin glowed in the dusk's reflection and her hair fell languidly down the length of her back...he had a fair idea as to who it might be.

He didn't feel like himself. When he'd began his second chance at life, there was a sense of worry and burden that he felt was woven into the fabric of his being. He never allowed himself to get too carried away in the moment, nor did he indulge in the luxury of naivety. That's why when he was sat on the damp grass with the sleeves of his formal shirt rolled up and his shoes at his side, he couldn't for the life of him understand how he was feeling the way he was. There wasn't a semblance of worry on his mind, and that feeling... _God,_ he could get used to it.

He knew he had a smile on his face as he watched her make her way back to him, with a poorly-woven basket of lavenders in one hand and part of her skirt clutched in the other. Her gaze was lowered to meet his as she walked, with a knowing grin on her face and the slit down her dress catching his eye. When she was close enough, she dropped the flowers in front of him and waited for his two cents with her hands on her hips.

"Have fun?" he asked lazily.

She shook her head as she came to stand right in front of him. "It would've been better if you helped me a little."

He feigned a sigh. "I just needed some time to...reflect. I couldn't do that if I was using all my energy helping you." His head hung to one side as he tried not to laugh, with her reaction almost breaking his resolve.

She nodded. "You're absolutely right. In fact, I wouldn't want you wasting any more energy when you have so much 'reflecting' to do, so I'll just be on my way."

Mia didn't get more than two steps away before a pair of hands clasped her waist, sending a shriek from her lips as she tumbled down to the grass. Her laughter disturbed the stillness that surrounded them, with Bucky's hands resting firmly on her as she set her legs on either side of him. One hand of hers fell to his shoulder, while the other curled around his neck, carding through his shortened hair. They sat like that for a while, both still with little smiles on their faces, waiting for the other to speak.

"We should probably head back," she said, but making no effort to move.

"Nobody's waiting on us."

She laughed. "It's almost sunset, and I've gotta get these flowers to Nora before—"

"She'll understand if you're a little late," he said as he nuzzled her neck.

"...You already talked to her, didn't you?"

He glanced an eye up at her and replied, "Maybe."

She slapped his shoulder lightly. "And you didn't think to tell me that in the last hour I spent in the field?!"

He smiled a little. "Maybe I just liked watching you out there."

Mia rolled her eyes good-naturedly, looking down and willing her cheeks to stay neutral as opposed to bright pink. She looked up to find him staring at her, thumbs circling lightly on either side of her waist and his expression a little more sober than it had been before. His eyes were heavy-lidded and he looked like the most content man in the world, surrounded by a sea of colour with his girl on his lap, away from every bad thing that'd ever happened.

"What're you thinking about?" she asked softly.

He swallowed, trying to form a sentence that would do justice to this feeling...one that he'd never felt before. "That I'm a lucky guy."

"Yeah? How so?"

Leaning into her touch as her fingers lightly massaged the nape of his neck, he said, "Y'see, I've got a good thing goin' with this girl." He brought a hand up to push her hair from her face. "She's driving me crazy and she doesn't even know it."

Mia swallowed. "Really?"

"Yeah."

She smiled softly. "I don't know, she sounds pretty ordinary to me."

He scoffed. "Y'know, it's funny, you sound just like her."

They shared a smile, neither one knowing how they'd gotten to this point but not having the courage to question it. In those few moments, he felt so... _young_. It didn't seem like he'd soldiered through countless wars and killed men, both bad and good. He was simply _there_ , and the idea that this moment would vanish left ice in his veins and knots in his stomach.

The pad of his thumb grazed her cheek. "I keep thinking I'm gonna wake up and none of this will have been real." He swallowed, "That _you_ were never real."

She brought a hand to cover his, brown meeting blue as their eyes stayed locked. "I'm real, Buck." She pointed to their surroundings and said, "I don't know if all this is...but _I_ am. _We're_ real."

He knew that her words weren't empty. He could tell by the way she said them and the feeling it invoked when she did. He found himself wishing that this juncture in time would last forever, that he could sit there in the middle of nowhere with someone he trusted to be different from the others. He could _feel_ himself pleading for it to never end...

...But things never worked that way.

"—you've gotta get up, Buck. C'mon, man."

Bucky woke up with a start, slightly alarmed that it had taken Steve's incessant badgering to shake him from his slumber. He rubbed his eyes and roughly threw away the light sheet that had been covering him as he sat up from his uncomfortable bed on the ground.

"You okay?" asked a slightly concerned Steve. Bucky simply nodded, trying to shake the vivid images that had filled his head only seconds earlier; images that he had been _sure_ were real. He didn't even know how he'd dreamt of such a thing, how his mind had managed to conjure up an instance where so many of his desires fell together as beautifully as they had. The lavender pastures he'd grown up playing in, the peach-dyed sunset, _her_ lazing moments away with him under a darkening sky.

The concept of desiring things, of anticipating happiness was so foreign to him after decades of subservience that he didn't even know those were realities he yearned for. But now he'd seen it. Now, he'd visualised it in a way that was so clear, so _vivid_ that he knew there was no going back. He couldn't disregard the possibilities that lay ahead...and truthfully, he didn't want to.

"You haven't slept that long in months. Good dream or something?"

Bucky sent a half-hearted glare his way, vouching instead to get up and start the fateful day that awaited them.

"What time is it?"

Steve looked at his watch, "Almost 10. Sam and Nat managed to jack a car last night. They're out front giving it a once over, making sure we won't run into any problems after the op's done."

Bucky went about a few of his morning chores, packing up some of his things and getting cleaned up before he rejoined Steve's company. It was only as he went to reload the gun he kept on his person that he remembered a conversation he'd been meaning to pick up on since yesterday. "Steve."

He hummed in reply, looking down at the map in his hands.

"I still don't think it's safe to let her stay on her own, not when so many of his guards are gonna be around."

Steve looked up and sighed, seeing reason in what his friend was saying but also not knowing another way to tackle the situation. "I don't want her there any more than you do, but we don't have any other choice."

Bucky stayed silent, to which Steve consoled, "Look, we'll keep her as well hidden as possible, and she'll have her comms devices with her, plus all the gear she'll need if someone shows up. And if anything goes wrong, we'll head her way immediately. But Buck, you've gotta trust her too. You've seen her fight, you _know_ she's more than capable of dealing with a few people if she has to. Have faith in her."

"It's not her that I don't have faith in, it's just..." He looked pleadingly at Steve, sighing and keeping his jaw set. "It's already happened once."

Steve shook his head, knowing _exactly_ where this was going. "What happened with Carmella wasn't your fault, Buck. She could've been hiding anywhere and they would've found her. That's on the Nazis, not you."

"But it was _me_ who told her to stay there, she trusted me enough to listen. And where the fuck was I? Halfway across town fighting them when I should've been there protecting _her_."

"You _were_ protecting her. How can you not see that?"

He shook his head. "She was my only responsibility Steve, and I let her die." His eyes took on a determined ire as he said softly, "I won't let the same thing happen with Mia."

A silence elapsed between the two, and Steve didn't know how else he could convince his friend that she would be safe. He nodded slightly and said, "She'll be back with us the minute we've done what we came here to do."

No matter how much he hated the situation, Bucky couldn't argue that there was another way to go about things. Begrudgingly so, he accepted their plan of attack and tried to keep his fears to himself, not wanting any doubt to creep into the hearts of his team members, especially Mia's. The two went about their respective chores and were only interrupted by the sound of Sam and Nat re-entering the house.

"Look who's finally awake. You have fun last night?" asked Nat coyly.

Bucky simply ignored her, grabbing a knife to sharpen from his bag instead. Nat, however, was known for being annoyingly persistent. "Oh come on, you can't tell us that nothing happened."

"Nothing happened," he said blandly.

"You wasted the perfect opportunity, you realise that, right?" asked Sam as he took a bite into an apple.

"Yeah, she was dancing and there was music, a romantic bonfire. It was something straight out of one of your sappy old movies," said Nat.

"And don't forget, there was a full moon," pointed out Sam.

"Full moons are great," added Steve. "Y'know, for this sorta thing,"

Bucky looked at him, unimpressed as ever. "Thanks, Steve."

"Hey, who was that other girl that you were with? The one talking in Arabic?" asked Nat.

Bucky had to think back a little, not really remembering striking a conversation with anyone other than Azim and Mia. "Samara?"

"No, not her. There was another one, she sounded younger."

 _...What the fu—Oh._ Oh.

"I don't know, some local girl."

"What was she saying?" asked Sam.

Bucky shrugged, "She wanted me to come home with her."

Steve looked on incredulously. "For what?"

Nat and Sam shared a look. "To show me her vintage baseball cards, Steve," Bucky deadpanned.

Steve pursed his lips, probably thinking something along the lines of '98 years later and I'm still dealing with his sass'. Sam resumed, "Why didn't you say yes?"

Before Bucky could reply, Nat chimed in, "He was probably too busy staring at Mia's hips." Nat turned to him, "You're about as subtle as a gun, Barnes. God knows how she hasn't noticed yet."

Unbeknownst to all of them, Mia had been walking down the staircase having just freshened up from her sleep. She hadn't even been fully paying attention until she heard Nat say her name in a sentence that left her more perplexed than she was used to this early in the morning. Her mind only fried to epic temperatures when she registered that she was talking about someone staring at her hips, and moments later, that someone turned out to be... _Bucky_?

She shook herself a little, beyond certain that this conversation was a figment of her imagination and that her brain might've scrambled Nat's words into something she _wanted_ to hear. She took the last few steps down the stairs and walked towards the door that lead to the kitchen where everyone was gathered. Fully prepared to pin down Nat's few sentences as badly (or goodly?) misheard words, Mia was caught _completely and overwhelmingly_ off-guard when she heard what the others had to say.

"Well, she's not exactly a fox at being low-key either. You're both just stupidly oblivious," continued Sam.

 _Oh my God. Please don't tell me they're saying what I think they're saying. Oh sweet baby Jesus, my lungs are about to erupt._

"It's kinda true, Buck," added Steve. Mia's mind was having trouble processing everything she'd heard in the last 10 seconds, but she decided that she _really_ didn't want the conversation to continue. Before someone else could get a few more words out, she walked through to the kitchen and made her presence immediately known.

"Morning!" she said with a _little_ too much excitement. "How's it hangin'?"

She furrowed her brows. _How's it hangin'? How's it han—See, this is why people don't wanna be friends with you._

Nat shared a small look with Sam. "Well, you're awfully chipper this morning."

She cleared her throat. "Yeah, well...last night was amazing, I guess it sort of...left me in a good mood. How's the prep going?"

Steve spoke, "Good. We're gonna leave for the Museum by 6 and get set up."

Mia nodded. "And then once it's done we just...head back to Jordan?"

He nodded. "There's a plane on standby. We should be back to D.C. by the morning." The team stayed silent for a few moments, seemingly realising that it would be their last night on this foreign soil, and it'd also probably be the last time they'd see it. Steve must've noticed that Mia grew a little saddened at that realisation, because he blurted out before he could stop himself, "You said your town was close from here, right?"

Her ears perked up. "Yeah, it's...less than a kilometre away." She hesitated before asking, "Why?"

"Well, I mean, if you want...we could...go there. We have a few hours to spare." He saw reluctance in her eyes and so he mended, "Only if you want, though."

Mia watched as everyone waited for her answer. Sure, she wanted to. If she was being truthful, she _really_ hoped that they'd be able to go. Hell, she didn't know if this would be the last time she'd ever get the chance to do so.

"I'd love to, but...I mean, I don't want everyone to have to go...just because of me, y'know."

"We can stay here and pack up," shrugged Nat. "Take the two grandpas with you."

Steve nodded, and Bucky simply waited for her reaction like he usually did. She really couldn't think of a reason not to, so there was only one choice to make. "Alright."

The three teammates got ready, packing a few weapons with them before setting off in the general direction that they were meant to. After looking at the map, Mia had a pretty good gauge of where they were headed, and the butterflies seemed to be wreaking havoc the more they walked. Thankfully though, she wasn't alone.

Steve told the two of them that he would walk ahead to find the place quicker and save them time, but Bucky knew him a little too well to know when he was acting suspicious. Leaving them by themselves was probably something Nat had told him to do through the ear piece, and Captain America was as bad at lying as ever. As he walked a few paces ahead of them, Mia and Bucky fell into a silence that was neither uncomfortable, and she could hardly believe how far they'd come since the day he showed up at her tournament.

He figured that she might want to prepare herself for seeing the place she grew up in, but then a thought occurred to him. Perhaps she was as nervous as she'd ever been knowing that their destination was the holder of so many memories. And maybe, just maybe, all she needed was a distraction. So that's what he decided to give her.

"Did you always live here as a kid?" he asked.

She looked up at him, putting a piece of her open hair behind her ear. "No, we used to live in the city actually. After I was born, my uncle and aunt came to live there with us. They weren't very well off back then, and my dad couldn't stand seeing his little brother in any kind of discomfort, so they moved in," she said with a sad smile.

He continued walking and looked at his feet as he asked, "Did you like living with them? In Australia?"

She swallowed. "I guess we just expected too much from them. I mean, they fed us and clothed us, put a roof over our heads, but...they hated us being there." Bucky looked at her, but she didn't bring her eyes to meet his. "My uncle, he...I think he always just saw us as the kids who got his brother killed 'cos we didn't do anything to stop the soldiers. And in a way, I don't really blame him." She let out a sad laugh, "And my aunty...she just hated that she had to take care of kids that weren't her own."

He couldn't believe that that was her reality. He wanted to tell her that her parents were killed through no fault of her own, and there was no way she could've done anything to prevent it. She could've stood in front of the spray of bullets, and they'd still have found a way to rid the Earth of her parents. But it was as he said those words in his mind that he realised something. As much as he may have hated it, he was only mirroring what Steve had said to him earlier on that day. It would've happened, no matter how hard he willed it not to.

"Did you have any siblings?" she asked quietly.

Bucky counted himself fortunate that he was able to retain some of the memories of his family, even though most of his past remained undiscovered by him. "I had a little sister." Mia smiled, encouraging him to continue. "I was 7 when she was born. Couldn't stand her the first time I saw her."

Mia's head tipped back as she laughed, earning a small smile from him. "I guess big brothers are the same no matter where they're from. What was her name?"

"Rebecca."

"Were you close?" she asked, not wanting to push but insanely curious to know more if he was willing. "I don't mean to pry, I just—"

"No, I...I like talking about her," he admitted, surprising even himself a little. "We were. She clung to me like a tree, always tryna make me laugh. She was clever though, a lot smarter than I was." Both of them quietened, one of them missing her sibling who was half way across the world, and the other remembering a little sister he'd lost a lifetime ago. "I think she loved Steve more than she loved me, though."

Mia laughed. "No way."

He nodded. "It's probably because they were the same size."

Mia couldn't hold back her giggles, loving the way he was recalling his past to her and how comfortable he seemed with it. Her heart warmed up to him a little more every time they shared moments like these, and she knew better than to take them for granted.

"Y'know, she probably had a thing for him. Most little sisters crush on their brother's friends, to be honest. I liked Zayn's best friend when I was young, so I'd always creep around and find excuses to go down to the basement when they'd be playing PlayStation there." She shook her head at the memory, "Anyway, he found out and never let him come to our place again."

Bucky's brows furrowed a little. "But...it wasn't his friend's fault."

"Yeah, but he couldn't kick _me_ out of the house." She blushed slightly, "I was...a bit of a predator, to be honest. I would've kept going if no one stopped me."

He widened his eyes slightly and shook his head a little. "Jesus, Mia."

 _Oh God, please stop calling me by my name. It sounds freaking gorgeous coming from your mouth, and it's confusing me even more, and Lord knows I don't need this kind of confusion in my life._

Thankfully, Steve called from up ahead, "We're here."

The two made their way up the small hill to him, and Mia felt herself feeling a little lightheaded as she gazed at the view she'd grown up with. There it was, still in the same place but with everything different. When she'd left Syria, most of the homes were still intact but couldn't be inhabited because of constant bomb threats. Now, the mass of rubble that littered the ground was incomprehensible, with no rooves seen on houses and no piece of soil left untarnished.

"Oh my...God. This is," she whispered to herself, "...this can't be real."

She walked ahead of the boys, knowing exactly which way to go to find her house. She walked past the park she'd played in for 10 years, and the small grocery store she'd visited every weekend. There were alleys that she'd hidden in with her friends, and lamp posts that she'd seen couples flirting under after a Saturday night out on the town. Each step she took left her a little speechless, and unendingly distraught as to what was left of a once lively existence.

It wasn't long before she reached the street that her house was held at. She took deliberately slow steps, and Bucky and Steve made sure to be at a mindful distance; far away enough to give her some space, but close enough for her to know that she didn't have to go through this alone. As she inched closer, she looked at her neighbours' old properties, mostly left in shambles and without an iota of the beauty they'd once held. She walked the tattered footpath all the way until the corner of the street, at which point she had to turn and be confronted with all that she'd left behind.

Her first thought when she saw her house was that she remembered it being much bigger. She couldn't decide whether it was because she was younger when she'd lived in it, or because the entire top level had crumbled to rubble, but she supposed it didn't matter all that much. She looked at what remained of the front porch, piled with broken wood and littered with an unimaginable amount of ash. The garden must have been one of the first things to wither away, and its once luscious, green exterior had wilted to all things brown and dead. She swallowed, trying hard not to think about what lay inside, but...she was only human.

She looked at the bricks of her home; bricks that held memories of her 3rd birthday and Zayn's movie marathons. She'd seen her parents steal kisses on that porch as they watched their children play Cops and Robbers in the front yard. The kitchen just beyond the front door was where her father had gotten his biggest promotion, and where her mother had her first miscarriage. So many moments, entrapped in brick and mortar, left to fade as thousands of others did alongside it.

It was saddening, of course. But as she stared at what was in front of her, what was meant to be her 'home', she came to realise that it wasn't such. It was a place where she had once lived, a place in which she'd had dear memories...but nothing that she held close at this moment belonged there. Her home was where her brother was, where her friends were. Her home was the feeling that she got when she was with Nora and Piero, lazing the Sunday away and delving into every topic under the sun. It wasn't this, this sad remnant of her past. She looked at what lay ahead of her, and it was no longer her abode; it was just a house, a house that would eventually decay and crumble as destined, but her memories were carved into her being, and she couldn't be more grateful to have realised that.

"You okay?" said Steve as he clasped her shoulder.

Mia turned to him, with a small but genuine smile on her face. She nodded and said, "I never thought I'd see it again."

Steve asked gently, "Do you wanna head in?"

She thought about it. She knew that there was next to nothing of theirs inside the house because they'd cleared almost everything when they left it. There might be a few chairs and a desk, maybe some spoons and a pot, but the truth was that she didn't want to go in like this. It didn't make sense to do it when she didn't have her brother there with her, to share this experience with. It wouldn't have been fair, and so she'd wait for the right time.

"I don't think I wanna do it without Zayn. Maybe one day, when all this is over, but..." she looked up at Steve, "...he deserves to be here."

He nodded understandingly, and Bucky watched on. He simply observed as she soaked in the house for a few moments longer before saying with a slight laugh, "Well, I think there's some more important things to tend to than house shopping."

He cut through her attempt to put everyone at ease. "There's no rush. Take your time."

She looked at him and sighed. "I've gotta see it for what it is, Buck. It's...it's just a house. And maybe if I had parents waiting here for me, then it would've meant a lot more. But, they're gone, and what's left of my family is half way across the world." She nodded, assuring herself more than anyone. "I grew up here and I'm grateful for the memories I've kept, but...it's time to let it go."

He looked at her, and almost expected a steady stream of tears to fall down her face. But instead, her expression was resolute, determined. She showed her strength in moments like this, and he realised that she never failed to surprise him. Just when he thought he'd gotten a good understanding of what to expect of her, she'd come around and show another side of herself to him. And that fascinated him...a lot more than he thought to admit.

Just as Steve was about to speak, an ear-shattering noise sounded somewhere in the distance and left the three teammates in a varied state of surprise. Mia's eyes widened and she instinctively stepped behind Bucky, though she wasn't sure why. Both men drew their weapons, with Steve having to handle a gun due to the fact that his ever-handy shield was back at headquarters. They shared a look, not knowing exactly what had caused the disturbance.

"Grenade?" asked Bucky.

Steve shook his head. "It sounded like a bomb. It came from due north."

Mia furrowed her brows. "Due north, is that...is that Jordan?"

Steve sure hoped not, because that would be the absolute _last_ thing they needed. "We should head back." He switched on his ear piece and spoke, "Sam, are you getting this?"

"We heard it too, Cap. Nat's pulling up the satellite feed to see what we can find. Y'all headed back?"

"We'll be there in 10. Keep us posted."

"Will do."

Another staggeringly loud sound from afar broke the silence, and Bucky could see the anxiety written on Mia's face. "Let's go," he said as he grabbed her hand and lead the way back to the base. Mia followed, thankful to have another person to cling to as opposed to being left to her own vices. And in a moment where there were possibly bombs being set off just a few hundred kilometres from them, she couldn't have asked for a better balm to her nerves.

It wasn't long before the three of them had made their way across a kilometre or so of travel and finally back at base. When they walked into the house, Mia found all the equipment packed and their belongings sorted, with her bag sitting zipped up and ready to go in the corner of the living room.

"What've you got?," asked Steve as he approached Nat.

"Not much. The signal's jammed, but we got a few photos through. It looks like an airstrike near the Jordanian border, but we can't be sure until there's a live feed."

"Will we still be able to make it across?"

She shook her head. "There's no way to tell. But if they shut the border, security's gonna be even tighter than usual and that's not a risk we can take."

Steve shook his head, finding it incredibly hard to believe that luck had dealt them such a devastating blow just hours before they were destined to leave the country and be on their way back home. But it didn't matter, because through one means or another, they'd find a way.

"What are our other options? Can we go through Israel?"

"They've got more surveillance there than the States, there's no way we're getting through undetected," said Sam.

"What about Turkey?"

Nat shook her head. "The border's close from here but Turkish law requires someone _from_ Turkey to receive anyone entering from Syria at their Embassy. I can check, but I don't think we have any contacts that haven't been compromised there since the file leaks."

"How far is it from here?" asked Sam.

"About 70 miles, give or take. But it's not gonna matter if we don't have someone to sign off on our entry into the country."

Bucky looked down, clearly frustrated with the situation and how they were now strung in a state of limbo. Leaving the country as soon as they completed the mission was _essential_ , and they frankly had no other option. Word would spread soon after that Varkey had been killed, and agencies from all over the world would be scouring Syria in the hopes of finding the people responsible. If they didn't leave then, they ran the risk of being caught and even involuntarily sparking a new war between the two countries.

The entire team was either at a laptop or a map, trying to find a single way in which they could make their escape. However, Mia was standing in the middle of the room and couldn't explain why she felt as though she was missing something. It was almost as if the answer was staring her _right_ in the face, and she didn't know it.

What wasn't she thinkin—

Oh.

 _Oh._

"Nat!" she screamed excitedly as she ran into the living room. "Nat, Nat, Nat, Nat-," she motioned for Nat to take off the earphones she was currently wearing. Slightly confused, the Widow jerked her head in question.

"Does the person receiving us at the Turkish Embassy need to be a policeman or, or—I don't know, a dignitary?"

She looked at her quizzically. "I don't think so, it just says that someone has to claim responsibility of them, because they're usually Turks that sponsor Syrian refugees."

"So it can be a normal person, right?"

"...Mhmm."

"Mel! We can get Mel to do it! She lives _right there_ , her house is in—wait," she said as she clambered towards Steve and stole the map right out of his hands. "Here, in Hatay. There's an airport there and a port as well, and it's right on the border. It's _perfect_."

Nat looked at the city on the map with an appraising eye, but wasn't sharing the excitement that her teammate was bursting with. "What...what's wrong?" asked a wide-eyed Mia.

Nat looked up at Steve, who gave a 'hey, this one's on you' sort of expression. "I don't know if it'd be smart to bring a civilian into all of this."

Mia shook her head quickly. "No, you don't understand, Mel would be more than willing to help out."

Steve chimed in, "It's not that, Mia. It's just..." he said apologetically, "...we don't have many people that we can trust."

Mia shut her mouth, understanding what he was getting at but not willing to let her friend's image be tarnished with doubt. "Steve, I...I know that you'd be taking a risk but I need you to believe me. I would trust her with my life, and I mean that with all that I have." She continued determinedly, "She'd never let us down."

Steve saw the sincerity with which he spoke, and after getting to know Mia the way he had, there wasn't much doubt as to whether he'd trust her instincts any less than the three others in that room. With a nod of resignation, he asked, "How can we get in touch with her?"

Mia broke into a wide smile. "Uh, well I wrote down her number and brought it with me. But, you guys said there wasn't any reception here."

"We can try and find one at the Museum. I don't think we should wait much longer to head out." She looked at Steve with a small smirk, "Captain?"

He looked at each of the members in his team. He had an ex-soldier who had become one of his closest comrades, a Syrian fighter with a desire to do good that reflected his own, an Avenger that he had come to trust more than most people, and finally, the only brother he'd ever known, all at his side. He would complete this mission honestly and with as much goodness as could be sought from bloodshed. He would do it because his values weren't there only to serve the American people, but to help anyone in the world that needed it.

He would do it because it was right.

"Suit up."

X

"Remember, nothing specific. Just tell her where she needs to be and when she needs to be there. Got it?"

Mia nodded at Nat as she put the satellite phone on speaker. "Got it."

The phone was ringing, and Mia for the life of her couldn't understand why she was so nervous to talk to her best friend. Maybe it was because it had been a while, or because of where she was right now. She didn't know how she'd react, but she prayed and prayed that she played along with their plan as they expected her to. If not, then—

"Hello?"

Mia let out a breathless laugh, with a smile eclipsing her features at hearing a familiar voice. "Mel! Mel, it's me, Mia."

"Mi—Where the _fuck_ have you been? I've been calling and leaving messages every day for the past week and you haven't answered any of them! I should hang up the phone right now bec—"

"Mel! Listen, listen. Look, I don't have much time, but I need you to do something for me."

"...Are you gonna ask me to resend you your topless Princess Jasmine photos from the costume party? Are you sending them to a boy? I'm not sure if I still have them but—"

Mia was pretty sure her eyes had never threatened to fall out of their sockets before, but that's exactly what they were doing as she juggled the phone to take it off of speaker mode, missing the way that Nat and Sam snickered softly, and Steve looked as though he was going through the English Royal Family in his head, trying to remember if there was a 'Princess Jasmine'. Bucky, on the other hand, went a little rigid as he looked ahead firmly, almost as if he was trying to rid his mind of some frightfully vivid imagery.

"No! Mel, I—"

"—don't send nudes to anyone, _please_ Mia, no boy is worth that kind of attention, and even—"

"Mel! Stop! Mel! No, Jesus, no that's not it. I...Okay, I need you to get a pen and paper out."

She rummaged around before saying, "Alright, I've got one in front of me."

Mia nodded. "Okay, I need you to come to the Turkish Embassy in Hatay at midnight tonight, sharp. I also need you to bring a car that's big enough to fit 5 people, and I need to know if you've got a place for those people to stay for a few days."

Mia heard silence for a few moments, so she thought the line had gone dead. "Mel? You there?"

She heard her friend speak _a lot_ quieter than before. "Mia, where are you speaking from?"

She swallowed. "I can't tell you anything right now. Mel, I need you to listen to me. Can you do it? Can you come to the Embassy tonight?"

"Well, I...I mean, I could get a car, but—"

"Mel, this is more important than anything I've asked you for. I need you to say yes."

Only a few moments went by before she replied, "I'll be there."

She breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in the affirmative to her teammates. "Good. Okay, good."

"Mia, just...just tell me if you're safe. Please."

Mia closed her eyes and felt a lump grow in her throat. "Don't worry about me, Mel." She looked up at her team but her eyes were drawn to one person. "I'm in good hands."

Bucky and her shared a knowing look, and it spoke all the words they didn't know how to say, none of which went unnoticed by the other three. Mia cleared her throat and said, "Thank you, Mel. Midnight, be there."

"I will, M."

And with that, she disconnected the phone, thankful that she'd gotten through to her friend at all and instantly missing her voice. But there wasn't long left now, and with their targets due to arrive in less than half an hour, Mia could feel a strange mixture of calm and anxiousness spreading through her body. It was _finally_ time, and damn it, she was ready.

The team had already set up their posts around the Museum, understanding that a security detail of no less than 50 guards would be in the building once they arrived. Sam donned his wings for the first time since the Triskelion, and Nat slid on her trademark Widow gear. Mia stood in a comparatively unimpressive pair of tight cargo pants and a long-sleeved shirt with her hair secured in place, along with a few weapons fastened to her holsters. She thought she had a good control over her excitement, but then she saw the super soldiers...and it all went to hell.

Steve was clad in his Captain America suit, complete with his signature shield clipped onto his back. She'd never seen him wear his uniform in person before, and her inner fangirl was _screaming_ at the top of her lungs at the sight. But then her eyes drifted to his friend, and she found herself feeling a whole new wave of emotions. Granted, very _different_ emotions.

She hadn't seen him in a uniform since the night they'd first met. This time, his uniform seemed a little different, probably because she was getting the chance to _really_ see it. There were horizontal straps that ran along his vest, with an assortment of knives and weapons strung to them. His arm was fully out and on display, and Mia realised that it was only the third time that she'd ever seen it in its entirety. He'd worn a pair of military-grade trousers with heavy set combat boots, and Mia had to temporarily remind herself that this _wasn't_ the time to be staring at his legs the way she was.

She also didn't notice that Bucky had been watching her the entire time she'd been appraising him. His hair was out, and his vision was partially obscured by the length of hair covering his eyes, but it wasn't enough to miss the way she looked at him. It was fleeting though, with Sam's untimely entrance into the room diverting her attention, but not without leaving a faint flush to her sunkissed skin.

...He also might have made a mental note to remember that.

"You ready?" he asked Mia.

She smirked. "I should be asking _you_ that." He walked up to stand in front of her, and Bucky couldn't control the slight pinch he felt when he watched her fasten a clip on Sam's vest. "What've we gotten ourselves into, Sammy?"

He smiled. "I feel like you walked in late to my class just yesterday. Look at us now, baby."

She shook her head. "5 bloody months and I still haven't found a way to get rid of you."

He smirked and said, "You gotta admit, it didn't turn out too bad for you though. Got to travel halfway around the world with a bunch of superheroes, including yours truly." Mia rolled her eyes as he continued, "Gonna get you a nice gig at the V.A. when we're home. And not to mention," he leaned in close and said, "I think you might've scored a 99 year old boyfriend out of all of this."

Mia didn't hesitate to slap his shoulder right as he finished speaking, deathly afraid that someonemight hear him due to the sheer volume at which he spoke. "You're completely delusional, you realise that?"

He shook his head. "Nahh, just observant. And _very_ perceptive."

"...You're about to go head to head with a Syrian and Serbian mini army, and _this_ is all that's on your mind?"

"Hey, if I die, I want you to know that you two weren't foolin' anybody with your stupid tip-toeing around one another."

Mia blinked slowly. "...I literally have no idea what you're talking about."

Sam waved his hand dismissively and walked to his bag nearby, grumbling something like 'he had the balls to fight in WWII but can't make the first fucking move'. Mia couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but Bucky heard enough to start sharpening his knife a little more harshly than was necessary.

"Mia?" She turned to Steve as she heard her name. "It's time."

With the nod of a head and a few words of goodbye from Sam and Nat, Mia was taken out of the museum with Steve on one side and Bucky on the left. They were leading her to a garden shed that lay directly beside the Museum, comfortably hidden behind some shrubs and the best place to keep her from watchful eyes. When they stepped inside, it was large without being unsafe, and close enough that they could get to her within record time if need be.

"It's not much, but it should be enough for the next hour," said Steve.

She shrugged. "I'm not too worried about comfort at the moment." She cleared her throat and spoke something that she'd wanted to say for a while, "Thank you for doing this, Steve. I mean, for coming out here in the first place. Syria's the sort of country that everyone gets tired of talking about after a while, and it would've been easy for you to leave it to its fate. But...you gave it a chance." Before she could think about it for too long, Mia threw her arms around him and said with tears in her eyes, "Thank you for caring."

Steve brought his arms around her smaller frame, lightly returning the hug before letting her loose. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he said a little shyly, still not fully used to the gushing compliments he received from people these days. "We'll be back before you know it." He turned to Bucky and gave him the chance to speak to her alone, saying, "I'll be outside."

He nodded and waited until his friend left to look at Mia, with part of her face covered in moonlight from the half-shambled roof. He felt like he'd experienced this moment before, and even though this wasn't meant to be goodbye, memory told him to expect that this would be the last time he'd see her.

Ridding himself of that thought for the time being, he cleared his throat and set out a few of his guidelines. "You got your radio?"

"Yep."

"Ear piece?"

"Got it."

"Remember, it doesn't matter who comes through that door, you shoot. Don't worry whether it's a guard or his servant, just shoot. You understand?"

Mia nodded, "I do."

"And if you feel like you're being watched, if you hear people coming, _tell us_. Scream, whisper, it doesn't matter, but don't leave us in the dark." His eyes looked almost pleading as he told her what she needed to do, as if it was more for his peace of mind than her safety. "And if anything happens to us, to _any_ of us, I want you to take the car and get to the border. Don't look back."

"Bucky, I'm not just gonna leave here without—"

"Mia." He grasped her shoulders with both hands and bore his eyes into hers. His voice softened, "Don't you fucking look back."

She swallowed and wanted to argue with him, wanted to tell him that he obviously didn't know her very well if that was what he expected her to do, especially while her teammates were in trouble. But he didn't need to hear that right now. In fact, she found herself at a loss when his hands retracted and he turned his back to walk out of the door.

Her insides were _screaming_ at her, because the reality of their situation was such that they might not make it back. The serum had given him advanced abilities, sure...but it hadn't granted him immortality. One shot through the heart would be all it took, and his skills would amount to nothing. She couldn't let him leave like that, not after all they'd been through...not when she had _so much_ that she wanted to say.

His right leg was out the door when she called out, "Bucky!"

He turned around and couldn't have expected what came next. Before he knew it, she was taking long strides his way and engulfing him in the kind of hug he hadn't felt in a lifetime. Her arms snaked around his neck, and her chin rested on his metal shoulder as he heard and _felt_ the thunderous beating of her heart. It was so basal, so deeply engrained in his human makeup to revel in that sort of contact that his reaction was almost instant, with his arms curling around her waist and holding her in place wholeheartedly. His eyes flickered shut, and he didn't realise how much he'd missed this feeling until he felt it. Her chin came further down so that her cheek was burrowed at his neck, her breathing growing calmer the longer she spent like that.

They weren't sure how long they stayed entwined, and frankly, they didn't quite care. Bucky didn't have the words to describe what he was beginning to feel for this woman, but it had surpassed the point where he could deny it. Being there, on Death's doorstep but still in her embrace, felt undeniably _right_. And for Mia, she realised that there were many things that scared her, but in that moment, one seemed to eclipse them all; losing him.

"I have to go," he said quietly, almost apologetically. Mia nodded against his skin, but not before she had a chance to say what her heart hoped for.

"Please promise you'll come back."

He shut his eyes, hating that he'd heard those exact words almost 70 years ago from a different woman, a promise that he hadn't been able to stand by. She was gone by the time he'd returned, and her last thoughts would have been filled with how he'd failed her. He couldn't, he _wouldn't_ allow history to repeat itself. Not with her.

He swallowed and spoke into the crevice of her neck, "I promise."

She didn't know whether he meant it, but that was what she needed to hear. She needed to know that there were people in her life who wouldn't leave her. Her heart yearned for an attachment that wasn't bound to end in shambles as so many others had. So she believed him, foolishly as ever, and slowly unwound herself from his comfort.

They both stood staring at their feet, neither one wanting to end the spell by speaking. But Mia took a chance, because if not now, then when?

"And besides," she said lightly, "you have 70 years worth of movies to watch and food to try." She wanted to focus on the things that they'd get to do as a team when this was all over, and she hoped with every part of her that the two of them could do it together. "It'll be your loss if you miss out. I think...I think you'll love it."

She stopped speaking when the hint of a smirk grew on his face, "Maybe try that sandwich of yours?"

She shook her head as genuine laughter fell from her lips, her heart warming at the fact that he remembered. "You mean a shawarma?" He replied with a small smile of his own, nodding and not really believing that this is what they were talking about at a time like this. "You've got yourself a deal, Barnes."

"Guys, we've spotted their convoy. ETA is 5 minutes," said Sam through the earpiece. Both Mia and Bucky fell rigid at the sound of that, all remnants of laughter gone from their expressions. She looked at him and gave him a slight nod as he went to leave, turning back only once to share a look with her that he hoped said it all.

"Don't worry, I'll be here," she said with a smile that sealed her promise.

"Buck, we gotta get going," said Steve through the earpiece. He knew he couldn't prolong his departure any more, and so with a final glance, he set off towards the Museum once more. There was a magnanimous task at hand, and there was no room for distractions. He'd have to have faith that she'd be safe, and whatever they had done to protect her would be enough.

X

If there was one thing that Mia was absolutely, positively _horrendous_ at, it was waiting. She always felt useless like that, not being in control of how a situation was being dealt with or how to help. She wanted to be in that Museum, alongside her teammates battling the people who threatened to harm her country. But instead, she was holed up in an old garden shed, with only pliers and grass-trimmers for company.

She tried to find ways to kill the time. Admittedly, she loved the fact that she couldn't bring her phone along for the mission. She'd gone 10 days without it now, and it was surprising just how much she felt she missed out on by constantly being on it. But then there was the other problem that she'd been trying _desperately_ to avoid thinking about, and that was what her brother must be thinking at this very moment.

Before she left, she told him that she would be in contact every day, updating him on life with Mel in Turkey and making sure he was in the loop at all times. But now, it had been more than a week since she'd spoken to him, and she just _knew_ that he was going to give her an earful when they eventually got the chance to talk. She supposed she could utilise the good old 'there was no reception' excuse, mixed in with 'I didn't have a sim card that worked' B.S. It wasn't ideal, but neither was being in the middle of a warzone 20,000 km's from home.

It was about 20 minutes after Bucky had left her, and Mia knew that she simply had to stop herself from fretting over what was happening inside of the Museum. Her worrying wouldn't benefit anyone, but it would definitely send her into a state of cardiac arrest, and that'd be terribly inconvenient given the present timing. Instead, she found herself replaying the few moments she'd shared with her teammate over and over again. Admittedly, it might have been a _little_ psychotic, but there wasn't a part of her that could believe the steps they'd taken since the first time they'd met.

She found herself excited, _anxious_ even, at the possibilities that could lie ahead. This would be the closest she got to admitting the feelings she harboured to him, but the reality was, she hadn't even admitted them to herself. Only time would tell whether she'd be able to take a chance that might leave her heartbroken...or leave her happier than she could've dreamt.

In the next few minutes, Mia began to hear some sort of commotion coming from the Museum, but it was so muffled that she could barely understand whether it was people talking or a plane flying overhead. 10 more minutes went by, and Mia found herself sitting between an old lawn mower and a garden ho, with her eyes and ears keenly trying to decipher any noise it could. So far, she hadn't heard any gunfire, nor had she heard the unmistakable sound of Sam's wings anywhere in the distance. She figured that they were probably waiting for the opportune moment to strike. _Ha, 'opportune moment'. It's actually been ages since I saw Pirates of the Caribbean. What a classic. The third one was a bit strange, but the fourth one—_

"—treats us like fucking janitors. 'Harry, go hide the body. Harry, go find a shovel. Harry, wipe my fucking ass.' I'm tired of his shit, man," said an American accented voice from just beyond the garden shed. Mia felt her heart cease to beat as she straightened up in her seated position, vaguely aware that there was one more person with the guy that she'd heard talking.

"It's 'cos we're not from here. Have you seen him talking to the Arab guards? Treats 'em like they're fucking princes. If this gig didn't pay, I would have dropped the fucker first time I saw him."

Mia grabbed the gun from her thigh holster and took off the safety like she'd been taught, aimed it at the door and waited for someone to open it. The adrenaline surging through her body was unlike anything she'd felt before, but she still had the presence of mind to let her team know that she was expecting company, just like Bucky had told her to do.

"Guys, I've got two guards outside, and I think they might come in," she whispered as lowly as she could. She didn't get an immediate response, so she repeated, "Guys? Can you hear me?" She figured they were up there kicking ass already, but that left her all the more unsettled when she heard the door of the shed being shaken.

"And where the fuck does he want us to find a shovel from? Tommy, come," said the person Mia assumed to be Harry. "Help me open this thing." Mia's hands were surprisingly steady as she sat hidden from view, gun pointed at the door and finger lurking on the trigger. The team still hadn't replied to her yet, so her mindset told her she was ready to do this on her own.

And then the door was burst open.

"Now, how the fuck are we gonna find anything in here?"

Mia barely had time to react before one guard shone his flashlight in her direction, temporarily blinding her and catching both men by complete surprise. And from there, the frenzy began.

Because she hadn't exactly used a firearm for a practical purpose before, Mia found herself shooting a single bullet before having the presence of mind to brace herself for the recoil. That alone was enough of a distraction to send the two men hurtling towards her, with the bullet having gone through one man's right hand. A sickening scream left the lips of the tall and bulky guard, while the other one came at Mia in an attempt to disarm her. While he succeeded at batting the gun away and letting it slide to somewhere under a table, he failed at assessing his opponent well enough. To him, he saw a young, frail woman who probably had next to no prior combat experience.

Oh, how wrong he was.

The second that Mia was given the chance to look at him, there were about 7 different combinations of attack that went through her mind. These were all strikes she'd perfected, repeated to such a degree that they no longer required thoughtful execution; at this point, it was natural for her.

Now on her feet and a metre away from the shorter and stockier guard, Mia lunged forward and buckled his knee, darting another kick to his stomach and sending him to the floor with a huff. The man with the bullet in his hand had produced a small dagger from his person, and was now striding towards her with imprudent anger in his eyes.

Instead of pulling her own knife, she leapt towards him and clasped his wrist, twisted it with a vice-like grip and let the blade clatter to the floor. Because she knew there was no way she could outmatch him in brute strength, she did as she'd been taught and focused on all the sensitive parts of his that could be reached. Stepping in, she sent an elbow to his temple, followed by an uppercut to his chin. She waited until he was a little dazed before she punched him square in the nose and brought his head down by the back of his neck, kneeing him in the face and pushing him to the ground.

By this time, she could hear Sam's muffled voice yelling into her earpiece, asking her what the hell was going on. But when the short guard managed to get up with a face obscured by unhinged rage, she knew that there was a little more work that needed to be done. Sliding out a sleek knife from her holster, Mia stood in fighting stance and waited for _him_ to make the first move. The dim lighting in the shed wasn't helping either of them, but her agility came in handy as she began to dodge his unruly swings her way. He wasn't controlled, nor was he particularly skilled. With that in mind, Mia let her blade swipe a shallow gash on his neck, then sent a kick to his groin before slicing a neat cut across his cheek.

Just when she thought she'd done enough to make a run for it, she felt a hand clasp around her ankle and the unmistakable sting of a knife cut at her Achilles heel, bringing her down to the floor near the door. The blade fell from her hand and landed somewhere near her shoe, but before she could try and retrieve it, she felt the sickening weight of a man overtake her, pinning her to the ground and settling his legs over her hips.

Those few moments spanned into a lifetime. She felt every ounce of pain like she never had before, and the second his hands came to clasp around her neck, Mia wasn't sure she'd ever felt so close to death. The cessation of blood flow was immediate, and she could feel her oxygen supply depleting the more she tried to wrestle his hands away from her throat.

Her mind was scrambling, reaching for anything, any memory that might show her how to break out of such a position. In her haste, she tried to remember something that _sensai_ might have shown her, a technique or a trick. But the more his fingers began to press into the columns of her neck, the less she was able to think clearly.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. There was no way that this was her ending. Just minutes ago, she'd been laughing with her friends and been in the arms of a man who made her feel more things than most. She had a family back home, friends and a life that she needed to get back to. Dying at the hands of an untrained, incompetent guard wasn't the way this would end, she decided.

And that's when she got her chance.

As she felt his blood trickling onto her skin, a last ditch attempt at self preservation took over when she sent a taught palm to his nose, making him wince back in pain and loosening his grip on her momentarily. She ceased the opportunity and slid out the only knife she had left from her holster, jabbing it into the point at which his neck met his shoulder and leaving it wedged there. The screams that left his mouth were unlike any she'd heard from a grown man before, but for the time being, she focused on pushing his body back and hurrying to her feet, with Sam's voice still buzzing in her earpiece.

Before she got a chance to listen to what he was saying, Mia stood at the door and looked back at the two men she'd just singlehandedly taken down. Both weren't in the kind of position where they would pose a further threat, so she decided against inflicting the sort of trauma that they wouldn't be able to come back from. Whether her decision to spare them was for her conscience or her safety, she wasn't quite sure.

When the blood finally came rushing back to her brain, she was able to decipher what her friend was saying.

"—you hear me? Mia, do you copy?" asked a frantic Sam.

"I'm, _ah_ ," she held a hand over her bruising neck. "I'm fine."

"Mia! Listen to me," said Sam. "Get to the car, _now_. Don't waste any time."

"I'm on my way," she croaked out. With a slight hobble in her step, she ran as fast as she could up the small hill towards the Museum's entrance, wincing with pain every time her right foot made contact with the ground but thankful that the adrenaline was keeping her mind off of it. It was a couple of hundred metres away, and they felt like they lasted forever.

As she neared the building, she let the sound of gunfire and screaming fill her ears, praying to God that it didn't belong to one of her teammates. She spotted their 7 seater SUV parked behind a tree at the base of the grand stairs, and she couldn't have been more grateful.

"Bottom floor's clear. Cap?" asked Sam.

There were a few moments of static, and Mia feared for the worst when neither Steve, Bucky nor Nat responded.

"Steve, do you copy?"

With a scrambled signal sounding for a few moments, Steve's voice came through, "Clear. We're coming down now."

She let out a sigh of relief, her breath still uneven and ragged. She wanted to collapse on the spot and give way to the fatigue that was clawing at her bones, but there'd be a time for that, and it wasn't now. She still kept a wary eye out for any rogue guards that might've gotten away, but it wasn't long before she heard the sound of heavy boots on pavement.

Happiness and relief flooded her heart when she saw a familiar figure in the distance. She smiled through teary eyes as she watched Sam jog his way towards her, but her delight was revoked as quickly as it came when she noticed the pool of blood that stained the left side of his shirt.

"Sam, what—Were you shot?!" she screeched.

"It's just a graze. C'mere." He slung one arm around her shoulder and leaned his weight on her a little, not necessarily needing it but thankful for the temporary reprieve. "What the fuck happened down there?"

She shook her head, not exactly wanting to tell him that she'd been cornered by 2 burly guards. "Nothing, but what happened to the radio? Why couldn't I get through to you?"

He wiped his forehead, "The bastards had a Smoke Screen. It's, _ah fuck_..." he rebalanced himself, "It's a device that cuts off any radio signals within a 10 mile radius. None of our comms were working, that's why none of us could hear you. Steve killed it, though."

Mia nodded and asked, "And...they're all gone?"

"You don't have to worry about 'em anymore." She closed her eyes and heaved in deep breaths, feeling tears of joy flood her eyes as she tried to hold it together. But, successes like this didn't come around every day.

A moment later, she heard boots on gravel and her heart filled with a deluge of relief when she saw her friends safe. Slightly battered and a little bruised, but safe.

"How bad is it?" asked Steve.

Sam shook his head. "Grazed my rib. Just need to get it bandaged."

Nat chimed in, "I'll start the car."

Bucky was the final one to make it down the stairs and towards the car, and Mia blamed all the butterflies in her stomach on the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. Their eyes locked instantly, but he looked different, a little darker, and undoubtedly tenser after the ordeal he'd been through. She felt every part of her wanting to comfort him, to reassure him.

...But all thoughts of that were shot to hell when she took a step his way and her right leg gave out.

"Hey, hey, hey," said Bucky as he went to break her fall. "What happened?"

Instantly, he saw the horrendous amount of blood spilling from her Achilles and asked disbelievingly, "What the fuck happened?"

She winced and shook her head. "It's nothing, it's just a small cut."

"That's not nothing, Mia," said Steve.

Bucky looked up at her with wide eyes and disbelief, but then his face turned cold at the faint sight of finger marks splayed across her neck. "How did you get this?"

Before she had the chance to answer him, Nat called out from the car, "Get her in, we'll look at it on the way. We need to get moving."

Steve looked at Bucky and he didn't hesitate to do what was needed. "Put your arms around my neck," he said lowly.

In any other instance, she might've been scandalised at a guy saying something like that to her. But as the rush of the mission slowly began to leave her system, the level of pain she felt crept up higher and higher. Doing as he said, she laced her arms around his neck and let him support her back and legs, and with a single push, he was off the ground and taking her to the backseat of the car.

She thanked him when he positioned her just right, with her foot slightly elevated and her arm slung across the back of the adjacent seat. His gaze lingered on her for a bit, blood boiling and downright terrified as to what could've happened that caused her such an injury, but he wasn't willing to delve into that just yet. They still had a 70 mile journey to make to the border, and that'd give them plenty of time to discuss what had happened.

He closed her door and made his way towards Sam, silently offering his help.

"Don't you even think about getting handsy. That Casanova shit don't work on me, I'll get in myself," said Sam as he pointed a finger at Bucky. With a few hobbled steps, he made his way inside and the two super soldiers joined him.

"All set?" asked Nat.

Steve nodded. "Let's get outta here."


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes: Good morning, Good afternoon and Good evening beautiful people. So sorry for not updating yesterday but this chapter has been soooo difficult to write, but I eventually got there and I hope it didn't turn out too shabbily. Some crazy things happening across the world today, and I just wanted to send a little probe of sumo-hugs and hi-5's to anyone and everyone reading this. Your faith, skin colour, gender, weight, preference...none of it changes the fact that you're a fucking amazing human being. In love with you all, and praying that only goodness enters your life. Much much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 12

Since the day that Bucky had shown up to Steve's apartment, unsure and hesitant as he was, he'd seen glimmers of the James Barnes he'd known when he was a kid. There were the obvious things, like his smile and his gait, along with his preference and the way he liked things done. Sometimes, his old sarcastic sense of humour would make an appearance, or he'd say certain words like your regular busboy from Brooklyn.

Then there were his values. Regardless of how much he thought he'd changed under Hydra's control, Steve knew better. There were morals he'd never budged on when he was younger, and ones that were still cemented in him today. For instance, he'd always been loyal and it was still evident in the way he treated his team, particularly his best friend. Steve knew him to be the single most courageous person he'd ever met, and after seeing the way he'd fought on their first mission together since the Commandoes, there wasn't a semblance of doubt in his mind that told him otherwise.

But the one trait that Bucky had demonstrated since the day he rejoined Steve all those months ago was something that shouldn't have surprised him. It was the reason why bullies in the playground hesitated before picking on Steve, the same reason that Bucky didn't want his best friend to enlist in a war he wasn't fit for.

...And that was because Bucky Barnes was the single most protective motherfucker on the planet.

Steve knew the second he saw Bucky look at Mia's wound that it was over. There'd been a reason why he was so adamant on her not being left alone during their mission, or her not being within a 15 mile radius of any place where there was going to be bloodshed. He couldn't _stand_ the idea that someone was hurt, especially not when he was around, and _definitely_ not when they were supposed to be under his care.

The moment they were in the car, Sam had gotten to work properly bandaging himself up and gave Mia the same painkillers that he was taking for her wound. He told her that they wouldn't make her drowsy, but would give her a comforting numb similar to a light high for the next 12 hours, and that didn't sound too bad at all.

Nat had been driving the car for about 10 minutes while the others sat in silence, with Steve sitting next to her, and Mia, Sam and Bucky sitting across from each other in the parallel seats just behind them. It wasn't the sort of quiet that one would expect after accomplishing the sort of feat they just had, but they all knew that the time to celebrate wasn't now. They still had to make their way safely across the border without being detected, and that was a lot easier said than done when the place they were crossing to was scouring with more security than they'd encountered the entire mission.

After 25 minutes of unbroken silence, Nat piped up, "Whose funeral is it?"

"We're not out of the woods yet," said Steve.

"Relax Rogers, these guards make $30,000 a year from their salary, and $50,000 in bribes. They're not gonna do a cavity search on us, we'll just give 'em what they want," said Nat. She looked back at Mia who was staring tiredly at her legs, feeling the pain ease a little now that her foot had been bandaged. "You wanna tell us who tried to saw your foot off?"

She swallowed, not just seeing but _feeling_ Bucky's intense gaze burn a hole through her head as he waited for her answer. "It was...these two guys. I think they were guards."

"Did they come into the shed?" asked Sam.

She nodded. "They said something about getting a shovel, I think." She shook her head, "Um, I had my gun out and I was about to shoot when they opened the door, but then they flashed a torch right at me. I got one shot in, put a hole in one of their hands," she said quietly. She didn't know whether she should continue with exactly how close she came to not making it out okay, but Bucky decided that for her.

"What did they do to you?" he asked coldly, sounding just above a whisper. She brought her eyes up to meet his and tried to mask the wobble in her voice, "I...um...I got them both on the ground before they could get any hits in. I don't really...remember how it happened, but one of them got up and...I slashed him a few times. But when I was about to leave, he caught my ankle and...well, y'know."

She tried to hide how frightened she was at him being upset at her, but it wasn't easy when his eyes seemed to define the term 'murderous' as she recounted what happened. She saved him the details, but then he did what she hoped he wouldn't. Without saying a word, he lifted a hand to his own neck and pointed at it, not needing to say what he wanted to know from her.

She swallowed. "He got, ehm, he...got on top of me, tried to choke me." His face fell immediately, and even Sam looked at him warily, unsure of whether it was something that might trigger him. She saw the change, and instantly rehashed, "But it didn't last long, and I got outta there as quickly as I could. No harm done."

He wanted to scoff and scream and shatter someone's skull all at the same time. He should've known, should've been smarter. Had she not had the presence of mind to use her prior training, they'd be taking her home in a body bag right now. She would've been another casualty of her country, and the team would have had to explain to her brother how his little sister, someone with no background in the military whatsoever, died in an active warzone. There wasn't anything _anyone_ could say to put his mind at ease in that moment, and so they didn't try. Instead, the team spent the rest of the ride in an uncomfortable silence, edgily praying that the miles passed by quicker than they already were.

Eventually, the onset of fatigue and uncustomary blood loss got to Mia. Out of everyone in that SUV, she was the only one who'd never been on a mission of _any sort_ before, and she'd be lying if she said it wasn't taking its toll on her. She leant her head on Sam's shoulder for the rest of the ride and succumbed to the call of sleep, being mindful not to put too much weight on him so as to worsen his wound. Bucky looked up at them and felt the same pinch he always did when he saw how comfortable they were with each other, how easily she let her guard down in front of him. That mixed in with his already sour mood prompted him to ask Nat gruffly, "How long?"

"5 miles til the border, 10 miles til the Embassy." She checked her watch, "It's 11:30. We should be there on time."

"Where do we change?" asked Steve.

"I'm stopping up ahead. Wilson, wake her up."

Sam gently shook her from her half an hour nap, opening the door once the car came to a halt and hopping out as gracefully as he could with a bullet wound in him. The boys changed into civilian clothing outside, while Mia hastily changed her shirt and Nat slipped easily out of her suit. It wasn't more than a few minutes before the team was back on the road, and able to see the city lights of Hatay in the near distance.

Sam was leaning over Steve's seat, talking through their plan about what they'd do once they'd get to Turkey. While her team thought to the future, Mia couldn't help but look back at the landscape she was leaving behind. This was it. She'd come back to her motherland and spent days there that she'd never known she desired. She was able to walk its grasslands, scale its hills, dance with its people and be at one with the spirit that was embedded in her DNA. She was so proud of it, of its strength and its bravery. She'd gotten a chance to fall in love with its sunsets and its stoned wells, all while striving to protect it from its most harmful enemies. It was as she sat and looked at the omnipresent moon that loomed over them that she couldn't help but wonder how she'd gotten so lucky.

"You'll be back someday," said Bucky softly, not needing to look at her to convey his sincerity. She watched him and knew he meant it, and she wanted to believe that he was right. She tried not to feel too heartbroken by the way he kept his eyes from meeting hers, and she wanted nothing more than to reach out and apologise that any of this had happened. But she figured he needed time, time to process the night and accept it. All she knew was that she hoped he'd understand her regret when he did.

"Alright, we're about to pass the border. They're not gonna stop us here but they'll reroute us to the Embassy when the road ends. Mia, you and Wilson are gonna step out and tell them who we're waiting for. And really play up the Australian accent, American might cause a bit of trouble. They'll think we're a news crew, so that should get us through quicker."

Mia nodded and simply watched what was around her for the next few minutes. As soon as they passed the border, there was an influx of Turkish trucks and armoured vehicles, equipped with more soldiers than she'd seen before in her life. Some of them seemed so young, while others looked like they'd garnered every experience she could've dreamed possible. She'd forgotten how accustomed she was to brightly lit places after spending time in Syria, so the tall lamp posts that temporarily blinded each passing car surprised her greatly.

The roads were _exponentially_ smoother on this side of the border, and Mia's entire body was indebted to the Turkish Government for investing money into improving their national highways. It seemed only a few moments later that they came across a barricade that was manned by a dozen or so policemen, redirecting Nat towards the Turkish Embassy.

Before they knew it, their car was in a queue of 3 or 4 others, waiting to be given space to park while their 'sponsors' made their way to the Embassy.

"I hope your girl's punctual as fuck," said Sam softly.

Mia grimaced, knowing that Mel wasn't exactly the first person she'd describe as _punctual_. She was reliable in that she would definitely arrive to the place they'd asked her to come but...whether she got there at midnight or at sunset in 3 days time was an entirely different question.

After an official used his special-light-up-rod-thingy to usher them into a free spot, Mia was about to merrily waltz out of the car when she realised that there were, in fact, _strangulation marks_ emblazoned around her neck. Quickly taking her hair out of its pony, she tried to cover her neck as best she could and straightened it out so that she didn't look like a 250-pound-man had tackled her to the ground and deprived her of oxygen an hour earlier.

"Ready?" asked Steve. Both Mia and Sam nodded before opening the boot door and making their way out, Mia holding onto his hand for dear life as she tried to make the astronomical 1-metre descent without her wounded foot falling off entirely.

Both safely on the ground, it didn't take long for a rather old and cutely chubby policeman to make his way over to where they were standing. He had a thick moustache and couldn't have been taller than Mia, but he was the very face of all things serious and uniformed.

"Arabic, _Türkçe or English?" he asked gruffly. She replied, "English."_

 _"From where you did you come from?" he asked in adorably broken English._

"Aleppo, sir," she replied, knowing that she should be stern but being failed by the painkillers as she marvelled at how beautifully round his stomach was.

He hummed in acknowledgement. "And before that, you from America?"

She shook her head. "Australia, actually.

His eyes went from guardedly suspicious to almost _excited_ just like that, and Mia didn't know how in the world to react. "Australia? You from Australia? My son, he is Australia!"

She couldn't help but smile along with him as he continued with widened eyes and an upturned moustache. "He lives in, eh, how you say...what is main big city? Big bridge, onion house?"

Mia let out a laugh and it felt strangely foreign on her lips after the day they'd had. "The Opera House? He lives in Sydney?"

He clicked his fingers and nodded his head quickly, leaving Mia wondering how the hell this beautifully voluptuous man had so much energy during a midnight shift. "Very good place. He is good boy. He says he brings me to Sydney for holiday. I tell him no, he must save money to buy house, to buy wife, this more important."

Mia nodded happily in agreement until she realised what he'd said. She saw Sam's brows drawn in with confusion as well, and they both shared a look.

 _Buy wife? Did he just say 'buy wife'?_

 _..._

 _..._

 _...Man, this guy is_ so _on my wavelength, that is genius. They've totally gotta have some 'buy husband' opportunities here as well, I need to get in on some of that action. I bet—_

"So why you were in Syria?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, uh, we had a news team set up there," she looked hesitantly at Sam who nodded subtly, "We were covering a story there."

"Where is your team?"

"In the car." Her eyes widened slightly when he looked as though he was about to walk towards them, "But they've all fallen ill! Yeah, it's...it's just terrible. You probably shouldn't be exposed to them, I think it's highly...contagious."

"...But you were also in car," he said slowly.

 _No, seriously Mia, please keep talking. Really, I insist. It's not a fun Saturday night unless you've singlehandedly sabotaged a mission of global importance. Do what you do, honey boo._

"...We are immune," she looked at Sam and tried to garner courage, but his expression gave away how little hope he had in the situation. Nevertheless, salvage it she would. "We're both O+." _It's time to bring in some big scientific-y words, my dudes._ "So thankfully the cells in our blood can't, y'know, photosynthesise with the contagion."

Sam simply shut his eyes, prepared to have to fight his way through the Embassy because there's no way that Santa's Turkish brother would accept the horridly inaccurate scientific jargon his teammate was spewing.

But, then again, maybe it was time that he stopped predicting things altogether.

"You are fortunate to have protection inside your body, praise the Lord. What is name of this disease?" he asked genuinely.

Mia's eyes widened, not really having planned on making it this far. "Rub...eus..." she looked at Sam, "...Trump? Ehm, yes, Rubeustrump infection. Horridly, deathly dangerous."

 _You can look me up in the directory under the name 'Queen of Espionage'._

Before she could widen the gloriously deep hole she'd already dug for herself, she urged, "Officer, we're in a bit of a hurry, to be honest with you. Would we be able to see if our friend is ready to collect us from inside the office yet?"

He waved his hand, "They will make you sign too many papers, I will get her. What is her name?"

"Meltem."

He nodded and kept his fingers hooked into the loops of his pants as he walked towards the Embassy's headquarters and spoke to some fellow officers on the way. Mia breathed a sigh of relief the second he was gone and didn't even bother to try and explain her stupidity.

"If you guys wanna arrest me when we get back home because of how bad that was, I'd put the cuffs on myself."

He shook his head, "Y'know, sometimes I don't understand how someone so smart could be so fucking _not smart_." He clasped her shoulder, "You could've just said there were women in the van and they wanted their privacy, these dudes are religious, they'd _totally_ get that. But nah, it's better to give 'em an incurable dis—Rubeustrump? _What the fuck_?"

Before he could continue on his little tangent, Mia retorted, "Hey man, it's not my fault, c'mon. And I couldn't concentrate properly," she leaned in and said incredulously, "Did you see his stomach? My God, it was glorious, almost like he was pregnant—"

Mia faltered when she stepped towards a small bench and buckled a little, having totally forgotten that the back of her ankle had been hacked at by a blade. "Sweet mother of pilgrims, Jesus _frick_ —"

Sam grabbed her by the shoulders and she leaned on his forearms, inwardly cursing herself for being born a brainless flamingo. She steadied herself in time to see the officer return with a paper in hand, and she didn't know what to make of that until he told them what it was.

"Show paper to man at boom gate. Your friend is on other side," he said briefly.

Mia broke into a wide grin, wanting desperately to hug their moustached, plump guardian angel but fearing that she might start crying from exhaustion if her head rested on his shoulder. Instead, she and Sam let out a few words of sincere thanks and got back into the car, waved the man off and closed the back door.

"How'd we go?" asked Steve.

Mia handed the paper to Nat with a smile on her face. "Show this to the guy at the boom gate, he'll let us through."

Steve nodded, still reluctant to feel too safe but confident that the toughest part of the mission had drawn to an end as their car made its way to the entry of the city centre. Even from there, the sound of music playing in shops and people talking loudly was clear to their ears, and the second that Nat rolled the window down, everyone waited with bated breath for the man to stamp his approval.

Mia was too busy thinking about how she was _finally_ getting to meet her best friend again after 3 weeks to even consider her reaction to all of this. In her mind, she'd already told Mel about the fact that she'd developed a deep relationship with 2 Avengers, 1 Avenger-in-training and an ex-Hydra assassin extraordinaire. She thought she'd mentioned the fact that the first time she met Bucky, he'd almost strangled her to death and that she'd slept in the same house as Captain America _and_ Black Widow for the past 10 days.

...She also thought that she'd mentioned that she went on a near-lethal mission to Syria in the quest to protect it from being nuked to smithereens at the hands of a Serbian politician...

"Welcome to Turkiye," said the guard, looking bored and sleepy as ever. Nat nodded in thanks and rolled up her window again, letting a small smirk fall on her lips as the car rolled forward and into the confines of a new country.

The air of heaviness dissipated within an instant at the idea that the mission had been completed successfully. Sam cracked a smile while Steve let out a breath and shook his head slightly. Mia was the one who broke the silence and said mostly to herself, "We were in _Syria_ for 10 days, and we made it out _alive_. This is blowing my mind right now."

"I think 'congratulations' are in order for completing your first operation," said Nat.

"Soak it up, kid. You won't be hearing it again anytime soon," he said matter-of-factly. "No more missions 'til you're 60."

She laughed softly, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine with that." They all wore small grins on their faces (well, 4 of them did), and Mia could feel her heart about to explode in her chest from happiness when she saw her friend leaning against a car in the parking lot.

"Oh my God, she's here. Guys, that's Mel," she said with disbelief. Nat pulled into a free spot near her car, and Mia couldn't wait longer than a few seconds before she cracked open the door and hobbled her way to her best friend.

Mel's eyes lit up the second she recognised Mia, not having known for certain that she'd be there tonight and just generally confused with the situation she was in. But now she had the chance to physically see her friend, and that in itself was enough to numb her anxiety.

"I'm gonna kill you," said Mel as Mia gave her the tightest hug of her life, feeling a lot thinner than she remembered her friend and only just now realising that she'd been walking with a limp. "Do you have any idea how fucking terrified I was? What...God," she broke the hug to look her over, "What happened to you? Where have you been?"

She shook her head, "I swear I'll tell you everything when we get to your place. But everything's fine, I promise." She still held both of her friend's hands and looked at her with shiny eyes, having thought so many times during the last few days that she'd never get to see her again. "I'm so happy you're here," she whispered.

"I just can't believe that—"

Mel's face instantly turned 39 shades whiter as she looked at someone past Mia's shoulder. Her mouth fell open unashamedly and her eyes grew abnormally large as she looked at the 4 people emerging from the car.

"Wha—"

Mia turned around and saw what she was looking at, then tried to console her friend, "Mel, I'll explain everything when we get in the car, just—"

"That's Captain America," she whispered to herself. "You...Mia, Captain America's walking towards us."

"I know, it's insane, but Mel I really think—"

She gasped loudly, "I see the Black Widow. Mia, I see her," her eyes shifted, "...And 'The Chicken' from TV."

Mia looked at her confusedly. "You mean 'The Falcon'? Mel, that's Sam. You _know_ him."

Mel ignored her and continued, "And there's another guy. I don't...I don't know who he is, but he looks important."

Mia nodded and tried to get her to calm down before the team made their way closer. "Look, I know it's a lot to take in, but just try and play it cool." Mel looked at her exasperatingly, so Mia rehashed, "At least until we can freak out about it in private."

Mel was seemingly trying to piece everything together, but her epiphany was temporarily put on hold as Steve made his way towards them, reaching out his hand to shake Mel's. "Steve Rogers, ma'am. Thank you for being here tonight."

She reminded herself to close her mouth as she extended her own hand. "I'm...no, it's no problem."

"Natasha Romanoff. We've heard a lot about you from your friend here," she nodded at Mia. "You really came through for us."

Mel giggled inwardly _and_ outwardly like a 5 year old. "No, it's...I mean, I had nothing better to do." She instantly cringed because if there was ever a way to impress a bunch of superheroes, tell 'em how useless your life is.

Sam was the next to extend his hand to her. "I don't think we've formally met. Sam Wilson."

Mel replied, "Wow, it's nice to put a face to a name."

He got a certain glint in his eye, and Mia let out a breath because she'd seen Sam make enough first impressions on girls to know what was coming next. It'd been no less than an hour since he'd had a bullet _enter his body_ , but he was already back to spitting game, "I gotta ask, do all the women in Turkey look like you?"

Mel laughed a little breathlessly and put a piece of hair behind her ear, "Well, only half. 'Cos, y'know, I'm not fully Turkish. So, I mean, I guess the other half wouldn't because they're not—"

"I'm gonna stop you while you're still ahead," said Mia as she grabbed her hand then turned to Sam, "And I'm sorry Sammy, but she's already taken."

Before anyone had the chance to resume the conversation, Nat said, "Maybe we should think about hitting the road."

Mel nodded and cleared her throat. "I asked the owners of my aunt's building if we could use the extra rooms, so they've set everything up there for as long as you need it."

"How far is it from here?" asked Steve. Mel reminded herself that these were _just normal people,_ and decided that that was the only way she'd get through this thing alive. "About 10 minutes."

He nodded, "Well, we're leaving our car here. Bucky, Sam, let's grab the stuff."

Mel let out a breath and glazed a hand over her face. "I have no idea what's going on, my mind is fried."

Mia patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, it's not as crazy as it might seem."

"There is no way that any of this is gonna make sense to me." She quietened for a few moments, simply basking in the thought that her friend was with her 10,000 miles from home, alongside some of the world's most coveted heroes. It wasn't until she looked up at the men bringing their bags from the car that she snapped her head in Mia's direction, saying in a voice just above a whisper, "Did he just say 'Bucky'?"

X

Mia had been to Turkey when she was 7 years old, way back when the borders were open for everyone and anyone to make their way through. Unknowingly, she'd spent 2 days in her best friend's hometown before she'd even met her, and all these years later, she couldn't help but think that it'd only gotten more beautiful as time had passed.

It was a coastal city, so there were constantly people surrounding the port and walking under the lights that had been pegged to trees all across the esplanade. There were brightly coloured shops and lanes that were busy even at that time of night, and the warmth that was exuded from them was unlike anything she'd felt living in America or Australia. There were children riding their bikes on the bricked pavement, while others sat with their families at local restaurants. The scene was homely, and no one from the team could deny that.

Mia sat next to Mel as she drove and talked about everything that didn't have to do with the mission. She talked about how she needed to call her brother and Nora to assure them that she was okay, and Mel told her that Zayn had left at least 20 messages in the last 2 days on her WhatsApp asking where Mia was. They briefly talked about how Mel's aunty was doing and how advanced her dementia had become, but she assured her that there were few things that could dampen her spirits. Her aunty was, by nature, one of the most outgoing people she'd ever known, and soon enough, Mia would get to see that for herself.

Within a few minutes, all 6 of them were getting out of the car and looking up at the apartment building they were to be staying in. It was gorgeously rustic and sat on the edge of the lane, overlooking a magnificent view of the valley where the ocean began. Each person grabbed their bags and followed Mel, not expecting to be met with anyone else that night.

It was as she was fiddling with the locks on the door that it was quickly pulled open, leaving them all staring at the figure of a young woman in the low light.

"Oh, Nesibe. Uyanık olduğunu bilmiyordum," said Mel with surprise.

The woman waved her hand and replied in Turkish, trying but failing to get a better look at her guests under the dim lighting, "Welcome to Turkiye!"

Mia smiled in reply, not knowing who she was but infinitely happy to hear such a friendly voice. She quickly ushered them inside, giving Mel only a second to explain, "I sorta told her you guys were American tourists. I would've warned you but I didn't know she was gonna be awake."

"No, it's fine. I hope she hasn't gone to too much trouble," said Mia.

"Oh, she has."

There was a narrow, winding staircase made of clay that everyone walked up, leading them into a beautifully spacious living room that reminded Mia of Samara's house immediately. It was charmingly lit with oil lamps that hung from the ceiling, furnished with low set couches and colourful chai tables that were native to Southern Turkey.

All eyes fell to the woman who was now standing in the middle of the room fidgeting with her hands nervously and still with that insistent smile on her face. Now that she was properly seeing her in the light, Mia faltered a little at just how _stunning_ she was. She stood at about Nat's height, with skin that had lived under the warm Turkish sun its whole life and brown eyes that were lightened by the _kohl_ on her eyes. The dress she wore was traditional in the most beautiful of ways, clinching at her small waist and flowing modestly to her shins. Her hair fell to her elbow in natural waves, and Mia shouldn't have been surprised that she wasn't the only one _slightly_ speechless by her lure.

Bucky, who was standing next to Mia, watched on as Steve looked down and swallowed, being the ever modest bean that he was. His face had taken on a furious blush that came a little too naturally for a guy who was 6'1 and the greatest soldier in history. Smirking inwardly at the fact that his reaction to women had never really changed, he watched as Sam nudged Steve subtly, having noticed the same thing he did.

"Thank you so much for letting us stay here. It was sorta...last minute," said Mia sincerely.

The woman waved her hand dismissively, "It's not a problem. We are happy to have you here. I am Nesibe, and you must be Miriya...?"

Mia shook her hand and replied, "I am, but please, call me Mia." She turned to her team and pointed at them, "These are my friends, so I apologise in advance."

Nesibe let out a small laugh and made her way over to meet the others. She greeted Nat and Bucky, then moved onto Sam who asked, "What did you say your name was again?"

"Nesibe," she replied with a smile.

"Nebise?"

She laughed, "Ne-see-beh."

He nodded thoughfully, "Y'know what, how about we go with 'Nes'? Is that okay?"

She laughed, "If it is easier for you, of course."

He nodded, passing her onto Steve who looked like he might combust if he looked at her for too long. She held out her hand and asked softly, "And you are?"

"Steve, ma'am." _Dang it Rogers, no one says 'ma'am'. Stop it_. He cleared his throat, "I appreciate you letting us stay here."

"It is of no trouble, I assure you," she said, hands still linked.

"This is a beautiful place."

She nodded, apparently trying to hide a blush of her own, "Thank you, it was my grandmother's. She had very good taste."

 _Say something to impress her, Rogers. Come on._

But after failing to come up with anything along the lines of a charming reply, Steve watched as she let her hand slip out of his, lowered her gaze and walked back towards Mel and Mia. "You must be very tired from your travels. I've made some dinner if you'd like to eat before you retire for the night," she said.

Just at the sound of a hotly served, authentic Turkish meal, Sam's stomach threatened to let out a loud rumble which he suppressed with a hearty cough. Mia looked at him like he was about to have a seizure, and Nes admittedly seemed a bit frightened in that moment. He leaned in close to her and said, "I agree...I mean, I don't think these guys are gonna be able to last much longer without food. They get tired very easily, constantly need to refuel, y'know."

Nat rolled her eyes in the background, and Nes replied earnestly, "Well, if you are not hungry then I can show you to your room while the others feast."

His eyes widened, "No! Ehm, I mean, that'd be rude. It's cool, I'll just join 'em."

With a nod of the head and gesturing for her guests to take a seat in the lounge room, Nes headed into the kitchen and left the group to talk among themselves.

"Okay, so is there a reason why you didn't tell us that your landlord was a _dimepiece_?! C'mon Mel," said Mia.

Mel smirked, "A little gay for her, are we?"

Mia shook her head and sighed, "I'm a little gay for everyone, Mel." Nat nodded understandingly while Steve and Sam smiled a little, not really blaming her for a sentiment they wholeheartedly shared.

"She lives with your aunt here?" asked Nat.

Mel nodded, "Yeah, my aunt was best friends with her mum. She stays on the top floor."

Sam furrowed his brows a little, "How come she didn't recognise Steve?"

Mel grimaced a little. "Well, for starters, I don't think anyone would expect to see him here, and...no offense Cap, but you're a little unrecognisable without the tights."

Sam let out a stifled laugh, but Steve just nodded acceptingly, used to this kind of talk about his uniform by now. "So word won't spread around the city that we're here too fast?"

Mel shook her head. "Unless you plan on going sightseeing, you're well hidden here."

Before they could continue, Nes re-emerged from the kitchen and announced, "The dining room is this way if you'd like to come."

The entire group got up with a huff, all except for Bucky who turned to ask her gently, "Would you mind showing me where I can leave my things?"

Nes nodded, leaving Steve perplexed and Mia undeniably cut. The others were already walking towards the kitchen, but she turned to face him and reached a hand out to touch his covered forearm. He stilled and let his eyes lock briefly with hers, before trailing his sights down to her neck and the bruises still evident there. His jaw clenched and there was disgust riddled in the way he tugged himself harshly from her hold, following Nes without turning back.

It left her feeling cold. She had never seen him so calloused, nor was it something she'd been expecting. She stood there and couldn't find it in herself to move, too busy trying to understand why he was so upset at the situation and at _her_. But she supposed he had every reason to be. His final words of advice had been to shoot anyone who tried to make their way into the shed _immediately,_ without hesitation. But instead, she'd chosen to wait until someone flashed a light in her eyes to react, and had she not been in God's good graces, the mission could've ended very differently.

At the sound of her name being called, she tried to dispel the negativity from her mind, at least for the time being. She wiped a hand over her face and willed her emotions to be kept at bay as she entered the room that her teammates were currently in.

They washed their hands in the modest basin and made their way to the cushions that were set up on the floor. Mia couldn't remember the last time she'd had a traditional dinner where everyone sat comfortably on the ground with the food laid out in front of them, knee to knee with their company. Steve adjusted himself into the comparatively small space between Sam and Nes, with Mel, Nat and Mia sitting opposite them.

"Please, begin, begin!" said Nes.

"My _God_ , this smells amazing. You make all this yourself?" asked Sam with surprise.

She replied with a soft laugh, "With the help of Meltem, yes. Here were have some _chorba_ , and this is..." she continued to name the beautiful dishes she'd probably spent hours making, all the while making sure that no one was in need of anything else that she could get them. There was soft Turkish music playing in the background with the large door leading to the balcony wide open, inviting a cool summer breeze into their midst. The hospitality Nes lathered didn't go unnoticed by any of them, and Mel was beaming at the kindness that strangers were showing to someone so close to her.

"So, I need you to start giving me some answers before I have an aneurism," said Mel lowly as she bit into a piece of bread.

Mia nodded and slurped her soup robotically, "Alright." She sighed, "Um, well..."

"Just start from the beginning."

And so, after days of being tight lipped about the life-changing adventure she'd been on, Mia went through the story from the start to finish. She told her about how Sam had asked her to come on a mission to Aleppo and she'd flat out refused, but ended up saying yes when she got paid a special visit during her tournament. She mentioned that they'd had to jump out of an aeroplane upon arrival and that they'd walked for 15 miles to their makeshift headquarters.

Mia recounted enough of the story without giving away too much detail, because she knew it just wasn't necessary. She explained that there were some security risks that needed to be tended to in Aleppo, and she was there to translate for the team. As much as she wanted to recall every moment of every day to her best friend, the only sister she'd ever have, she couldn't do it in a moment when her mind was somewhere else completely.

Famished as she was, she barely ate half a plate's worth of food before she simply couldn't eat anymore. She told Mel about how she'd gotten the cut on her ankle, and a pang of guilt coursed through her body at the thought of its repercussions. He hadn't returned to join them for dinner, nor did she expect him to. That night, she saw the kind of vacancy in his eyes that _frightened_ her, but not because she was scared of him...but of the way that she feared she'd disappointed him.

"And then we drove 70 miles 'til we got to the border and..." she shrugged softly, "Well, you know the rest."

Mel looked on with a mixture of awe, amazement, disbelief and censure when her best friend stopped talking. She blinked slowly, batting her long lashes in a way that told Mia she was in for it. "I know you know what I'm gonna say, so let's just forget about that for a second. But..." Mel looked at her, pain evident in her expression, "...do you know how differently this could've gone? Instead of you sitting here with me, I could've been calling your brother with a date for your funeral." Regardless of the fact that the others were consumed in their own conversations, she lowered her voice, "I wish you would've told us. We would've understood, and at least we'd have known where you were."

Mia nodded, feeling the sincerity laced in her friend's words and letting it pierce its way through her ego. "Mel, I...believe me, if I could, I would have told you and Zayn in a heartbeat. But I knew what I had to do, and I would've done it with or without your blessings. I guess...I guess I just felt better knowing that you couldn't tell me not to do it if you didn't know."

"We would've said 'no' for a reason, Mia. You weren't going to the Bahamas with some friends, you were headed to Syria to stop a war," she said in a heated whisper. "That's...no family would let someone they love go through with that."

Mia dared not reply, because she knew Mel was absolutely right. If the tables were turned, she would've given the exact same advice to her friend, and it wouldn't have been easy to change her mind. The double-standard was there, but only because she saw no other choice.

Mel sighed and put a hand on Mia's, "But with that said...I'm so proud of you, for everything."

She looked up at her, equal parts relieved and grateful. "Just a few months back, you couldn't even look at a soldier without it hurting you, and now...Jesus, you went into their den to try and stop them." She squeezed Mia's hand a little tighter, "Your parents would've been so proud, Mia. And...I'm sure if you could tell Zayn, he would be too."

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak but hoping she'd understand anyway. She held onto her friend's hand, thankful to have her in a foreign land where so much was uncertain and new. And all the doubts and worries that Mel had, Mia knew were only for her safety.

They broke apart and Mel resumed eating, looking on with astonishment as she saw Nes explaining a Turkish painting to Sam with _Captain America_ seated next to her. Her eyes fell to Black Widow, who was generously heaping some traditional chicken stir-fry into her plate, stir-fry that _Mel_ had made just hours earlier. It was so surreal, and something straight out of a movie or an outlandish self-published fictional story on the Internet, but the craziest part was, there was _another_ super-person in the house who was missing from their midst.

"So, are you gonna tell me or am I gonna have to force it out of you?" asked Mel with a teasing smirk on her face. On the other hand, Mia looked at her in confusion, "Tell you what?"

"About how you've fallen in love with Capitáno Americano's 100 year old best friend?"

Mia stopped herself from doing a film-worthy spit take as she swallowed down her orange juice, looking at her friend with eyes wider than saucers. "Do you wanna say it a bit louder, I don't think the folks in South Sudan heard you, Jesus Mel." She shook her head insistently, "You're out of your mind because _that_ is not true."

Mel gave her the 'I've literally known you for 84 years' look as she said softly, "Okay, you may have everyone else fooled, but you need to give me a little more credit. I'm not stupid noram I blind, which is exactly what someone would have to be to miss the googly-eyes you were sendin' his way."

"I _do not_ do googly-eyes. That isn't a thing. At all."

"It _is_ a thing, and he was sending them back, so you can't deny it both ways."

Mia looked at her dumbly and felt her cheeks heat up to approximately 354˚ at her words. She shook her head and was about to vehemently deny all allegations when Nes asked, "Is there anything else I can get you before dessert, ladies?"

They both declined, and Mia thought that she was in the clear. But then, to her surprise, Nat leaned in and asked with a spoonful of yogurt in hand, "So, you gonna talk to him?"

"Talk to who?"

"To James Dean," she deadpanned. Mia squinted her eyes because _how the hell did she know who James Dean was_ , but Nat rehashed, "He was big in Russia."

Mia nodded and sighed, "I think I'm the last person he wants to see right now. I'd probably just make it worse."

"I think you'd be surprised," she said with a small smirk. Mia simply shook her head and was sure that her mind wouldn't change any time soon. She fiddled with the cushion's string and let her eyes lock with nowhere in particular, which was when Nat put down her spoon and continued, "Look. there's something you need to understand, Mia."

She looked up, "The person you're seeing today isn't who he always was. Way back when, before Hydra and the war, he had a different life. And just because he isn't that guy anymore, doesn't mean that everything that happened suddenly left him. It's still there, and it still hurts."

Her brows drew in confusion, because Bucky's past was the last thing she'd have thought about. "I don't...I don't understand."

She let out a small breath and said lowly, "Sometimes...forgetting isn't the worst thing that could happen to somebody. Half his mind is missing, but there are some parts that he can't let go of." She shook her head, "Even if he wanted to."

Mia tried to decipher what she was talking about, but felt as though she was missing something. She trusted Nat's advice completely, but she couldn't fully understand it. She swallowed, "I didn't listen to him. He told me to shoot when—" she sighed, "...God, he can barely look at me 'cos of how bad I messed up."

Nat suddenly understood what was coursing through Mia's mind, and it all made sense. It wasn't her place to recount his past and his motives for keeping her safe, but she left her with a parting thought, "There might be more to it than that. But you won't know unless you talk to him."

Mia let out a long, tired breath and looked over to her teammate, "Do you know who Jerry Springer is? Because you should definitely get an internship on his show or something."

She smirked as she brought some to bread to her mouth, "Who do you think he gets his advice from?"

Before Mia could reply, she heard Nes say to Sam, "You look very familiar. But I...I do not know from where."

She watched as Sam grinned slyly, "Well, not gonna lie, but I've been told that I bear an _uncanny_ resemblance to Denzel. You know him? Malcolm X, Training Day? No?"

Nes simply shook her head, "No, I'm not—ah, Steve Harvey!"

Sam's face fell, "What?"

She nodded excitedly, "Yes, Steve Harvey, from The Family Feud! He is so funny, and his _bıyık_ , uh...how you say...oh, moustache!" She looked over at Mel for confirmation, " _Ona benziyor mu?_ "

Mel choked on her water a little and nodded, "Virtually identical."

Steve and Nat would've laughed if they had any idea who Steve Harvey was, but the look of defeat on Sam's face made it worthwhile. Mia shook her head in amusement, but could feel her spirits dampen the longer she went without speaking to him. Whether she had the courage to or not was another issue _entirely_ , but she couldn't stand there being such an air of hostility between them, not now.

"Mia? You okay?" asked Mel.

She snapped her head up, "Yeah, of course." She added convincingly, "Just tired. Actually, would it be alright if I head on up? Just...not very hungry at the moment."

Mel nodded, "Yeah, sure. Your room's the first door on the left at the top of the staircase." She looked her friend over, not really sure what had brought on her sombre mood, but not willing to make any assumptions after the kind of exhaustion she knew was rattling her system. "You sure you're okay? You went really quiet, that's never a good sign," she joked lightly.

Mia smiled tiredly, "No, it's nothing, I just...it's been a long few days. I think a little sleep will do me some good."

She nodded, "Yeah, I think so too. Do you need any help with your bags?"

"No that's fine, there's only one. I'll just go thank Nes for dinner," she smiled, "She's lovely, Mel. I'm glad your aunty has someone like her around."

Mel nodded in agreement and watched her friend make her way to the kitchen, thanking her host for the meal and bidding her good night. She came and did the same to the team, who were keenly waiting for the traditional Turkish dessert they'd been promised by their newest favourite person in the world. Mia couldn't believe that these people had been in the midst of a firing squad earlier that night, with bruises and wounds painted on their bodies, but she supposed they were used to that sort of pain. Maybe they were just happy to be tended to after an ordeal like that, to be surrounded by a beautifully foreign culture, and in the sort of situation they'd never been in before.

She made her way tiredly up the staircase, still hobbling slightly from a wound that would take a few days to fully heal. Thanks to the dim lighting in the dining room, the scars on her neck were barely noticeable under her wavy locks, but even if they had been, she got the feeling that Nes wasn't the sort of woman who liked to pry.

She opened the door to her room and beheld a sight that could've reduced her to tears if she had any energy; a bed. She dropped the bag and made her way to it, falling face first onto the sheets and beyond certain that she could've stayed like that for a lifetime if circumstances allowed her. But she knew there were more important things to tend to, like taking a proper shower for the first time in days and tending to her oral hygiene with products other than chewing gum.

With all the regret in the world, she heaved herself up and plucked out a fresh shirt, pyjamas and some underwear before making her way over to the bathroom at the end of the hall. On her way, she quickly noticed that one door was, in fact, an entry to the balcony from where a gust of wind had just hit her. There were a few other rooms that had dim lamps hung at their entries, and Mia wondered which one Bucky was locked away in. There was a pull that she felt, a voice telling her to go and make amends at that very moment.

...But fear of rejection reminded her that he probably wouldn't be very partial to her company at the moment. And so with that heavy thought, she locked herself away in the bathroom for 20 minutes and took comfort in the lukewarm water washing away the tiredness from her bones, all the while working at the knots in her shoulders and back. She tried to empty her mind and simply be grateful that she was alive, and so was everyone she cared about. God knows that the likelihood of everyone making it out okay wasn't too promising when they'd started, but somehow, it'd all worked out.

With the taps turned off, she grabbed a towel and rinsed out her hair in the tub, before drying herself off and using what energy she had left to throw on her fresh clothes. The shower had left her feeling comfortably tired but the painkillers prevented her from becoming drowsy. It only took a few minutes of her rolling around restlessly in bed to realise that she wasn't gonna get a _wink_ of sleep until the drugs wore off completely. With a huff, she sat up and looked around her darkened room, scoping out ways to pass the time but finding nothing. When she cracked the door open ever so slightly, her eyes fell to the open balcony that stood metres away invitingly, covered only by a sequined curtain blowing carelessly in the breeze.

Without another thought, she hurried her way over and peeked through, making sure that no one else was occupying it. Satisfied, she stepped out and shut her eyes at the calming wind that tickled her hair, and the feeling only got better when she actually looked at the view before her.

She was staring at the edge of the Mediterranean, with boats and ferries lighting its water and cliffs decorating its shores. The balcony itself was rather small, but held the remnants of ancient Turkey from the carved railings to the clayed flooring. The balcony stood adjacent to a slightly sloped roof, bordered only by a frail railing that she leant on carelessly, blissfully unaware that she wasn't alone.

He heard her before he saw her walk across the balcony's threshold. He'd been sitting on the roof next to it, and the moon had been his only companion for the better part of the last hour. Suddenly, he had a lot of time to think, and he couldn't decide whether that was comforting or confronting.

He'd almost lost her too. Every other part of the mission had unfolded perfectly, but this...how could it have gone so wrong? The others would tell him that he should be grateful she was with them and to let bygones be bygones, but it wasn't as simple as that. She'd trusted him, _depended_ on him to come through for her if she needed it, and once again, he was nowhere to be found. It was a sting he needed time to recover from, and that's the only way he saw it.

His thoughts were disrupted, though, when he saw her come out and laze her arms against the railing. She looked tired as she stared at the gibbous in the sky, still reflecting her like it had the last time they shared the moonlight together. Still beautiful, and still oblivious.

His heart picked up a beat when she leaned over the railing to look at the 10 metre descent, appraising it and hovering a little too close to danger for his liking. Before he could think better of it, he spoke softly, "Please don't do that."

She jolted back at the sound of his voice and looked around momentarily, trying to find its source. When her eyes managed to adjust to the darkness and found him only a few steps away, she raised a hand to her beating heart and said, "I...I didn't know you were out here."

He didn't say anything, instead keeping his head slightly lowered and his gaze away from hers. She was about to mumble a 'good night' and leave him to be alone, but something kept her there. Nat's words came into mind and courage blossomed in her stomach. She had to apologise for her recklessness, because it was the right thing to do. He deserved that, and if it eased his ill mood even a little, then it'd be worth it.

Without thinking about it too much, she put one leg over the railing that was attached to the roof he was seated on and carefully stepped over it. He got up quickly to stop her from doing so lest her foot slip and she tumble down a height too great to recover from, but she wasn't having any of it. Instead, he let a hand hover near her arm as she made it safely across, and sat down beside him on the bricked roof.

They sat in silence for a long moment, with Bucky's mind running amuck with ways to apologise for not saving her from a near-lethal situation, and Mia's thoughts focused on how to apologise for letting hesitation get the best of her. Eventually, she honed in her wits and simply said what she needed to say.

"Bucky, I...I want to say that I'm sorry. You told me to..." she took a breath, "You told me to shoot anyone the moment I saw them, and I...I hesitated, and it could've cost us the whole mission if they'd gotten word back to the other guards. I know I messed up, and I know you're upset at me but please just...God, I'm just so sorry. I...I didn't wanna let you down."

Her sights were glued to her lap as she spoke, so she couldn't see the horror that filled his eyes as those words left her mouth. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, not a single word of it. She...she'd somehow managed to take the blame and burden it solely on herself. She thought he was _upset_ at her for almost getting beaten and strangled to death.

She thought she'd let him down.

He couldn't formulate a sentence for the next few minutes, and Mia felt her momentary bravery give way to anxiety the longer he didn't speak. Her mind went to the worst, because how could she have possibly fathomed the guilt festering in his heart, guilt that had resided there since 1944. When a few more moments went by and he didn't reply, she felt a wave of embarrassment eclipse her features. Not willing to let her weakness show in front of him, she readied herself to get up and go back to her room, only stilling when she heard words fall softly from his lips.

"I lost someone like you once."

She looked up to find him staring with something akin to regret and longing in his eyes. He continued, "She was 19 when we were stationed in Italy. I was with her for 5 months before it happened and she was...everything I'd ever cared about." He swallowed and looked ahead at the landscape instead of her worried eyes, hating that she was feeling that way at all. But she needed to understand, one way or another. "We got word that the Nazi's were gonna attack from all three gates of the city, so they needed as many soldiers as they could get." He scoffed breathlessly, "They put a pistol in anyone's hand who could fire a gun, man or woman, it didn't matter. But she was...she was too afraid."

Mia furrowed her brows, not understanding where this memory was headed but willing to sit in silence for as long as he needed to get the words out. He continued, "She wanted me to hide with her somewhere until the soldiers left, wanted us to be safe and to come out of it alive. But I...I couldn't do it, couldn't leave my friends to fight on their own." He swallowed and Mia couldn't believe she was seeing honest to God tears well in his eyes as he continued, "I told her to stay hidden in the Cathedral 'til we did what we had to do. She made me promise I'd come back to her...and I knew I would."

Mia felt her heart shatter and an unearthly sense of realisation blanket her senses. Hours earlier, she'd whispered, _demanded_ the same thing from him and she hadn't even known. She feared what the ending of this tale would surmise, but nothing could have prepared her.

"I went back after we'd driven them out of the city. There were so many people dead, people I'd spent months with, old men and young kids. But I kept telling myself that she was hidden, that no one would've touched her." His face became impossibly broken when his voice faltered, "They told her they'd spare her if she gave up the location of a children's shelter," he swallowed, "She was smart and kind but...she wasn't brave." He lowered his head in embarrassment, disgusted as he relived the darkest moments in his memory, "She told them...and they killed her anyway."

Mia shook her head, and she didn't know when tears had made their way down her face. Never, not _once_ had she fathomed such a past, one where he burdened the deaths of children, of babies, on his own shoulders. She knew that was what he'd done. It was evident in the way that someone as young as him had eyes that were flooded with regrets only known to old men. Incomprehensible; that's what it was.

He spoke lowly, "I know she should've been strong...but if I was there with her, protecting her...she wouldn't have had to and...a lot less people would have died as a result." He looked up at her and sobered at the tears she licked off of her lips. She didn't move, didn't speak but tried to find a way to vanquish every lament that he held himself responsible for.

Without thinking, she slipped her right hand over his left, brushing her thumb across knuckles she didn't know whether he felt or not. Her voice cracked as she said, "I wish you'd believe me when I told you that it wasn't your fault. It wasn't then, and it isn't now."

He kept his gaze on their hands and let those words infiltrate the walls his mind had constructed so long ago. The idea that he wasn't responsible felt foreign, unfamiliar. He didn't expect her timid voice to utter, "I'm sorry that I remind you of her."

He let out a breath without humour. In the beginning, when he'd first gotten to know Mia, he thought they were similar. They were both beautiful and had smiles that could spread warmth throughout a person's body. But as time went on, as he got to see her in different environments and testing moments, he knew they were nothing alike.

"All she wanted to do was run away. I..." he couldn't believe that he was about to utter these words to another person, for the first time in forever, "...I hated her for not caring about her people, for giving them up so easily. But you..." he shook his head as he looked at her wide eyes, "You've travelled worlds to protect your own."

She shook her head, "No, I...anyone would've done the same thing—"

"No," he said with fire dancing behind his eyes. "No."

They elapsed into a silence, and her heart was filled with so much reverence, confusion and endearment as the moon loomed still above them. Her breathing stuttered as he turned his palm up and let their fingers teeter on the edge of each other, neither one knowing when was too far. Metal on skin, Mia hesitantly let her fingers fold into his, revelling in the way he reacted without reluctance. Smiling inwardly, she waited for him to say something, anything at all.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to stop them," he said lowly.

"I'm sorry they were so terrible at their jobs," she said jokingly. He smiled without looking at her, but she could tell he didn't mean it. So taking a chance (it seemed like she was doing a lot of that lately), she brought her left hand up to the scruff of his jaw and brought his eyes to meet hers. Her fingers were timid, being that she hadn't done this sort of thing in a long, _long_ time. She kept her hand there as she spoke determinedly, "You saved the lives of 22 million people tonight. That's 22 million mothers, daughters, grandsons, orphans. They're people who everyone had forgotten because of the colour of their skin and the land they were born on. And _you_ saved them." He watched with parted lips as her warm brown eyes swam with affection, "You're a hero."

He wanted to shake his head until he was dizzy but her hand kept him set firmly there, unwavering and he couldn't find it in himself to argue with her. He wanted to stay there, like he had in his dream. But instead of the sun setting in the background of a sea of lavender, they were joined on a rooftop, basking in moonlight with the ocean at their feet. Contentment, ease, _adoration_ ; indulgences he hadn't tasted in his new life...not until now.

He closed his eyes and leaned into her hand, their palms still joined beneath them. She pulled a piece of hair behind his ear and didn't know what to do from there. She let her eyes flicker to his lips just for a moment, and she couldn't decide what would classify as 'too much'. This moment between them, it had changed things.

If they were being honest, it had changed _everything_.

But before they had a chance to understand just what that meant, the sound of Nes and Sam making their way out onto the balcony filled their ears. Leaping apart quick as anything, they flattened themselves against the roof to try and obscure themselves as much as possible. Pressed shoulder to shoulder with him, Mia stifled her breathing and tried to listen carefully.

"—and this is the balcony," pointed Nes.

Mia watched as Sam stood at the railing, followed by Steve, Nat and Mel. _Are you kidding me? All 5 of them are coming out to see the view? Oh Jesus, they're looking this way, oh my God._

"That's Arsalan's Cove, it is a dock where they set up _bazaars_ every second night. And that," she pointed past Mia and Bucky's direction, "is where they hold the fish market. You like fish?"

Steve simply nodded while Sam replied enthusiastically, "Oh, I love fish. What's not to love? High in protein, good fatty acids, tastes delicious, I'm a fish man myself."

Nes nodded, obviously impressed, "Wow! That is great, I do not like fish at all."

Sam's smile fell immediately and Nat cleared her throat just loudly enough for him to get the message. Steve couldn't hold back a smile of his own, that was until he saw something move on the shadow of the roof.

As discreetly as he could, he kept his eyes glued in that direction while the others looked towards wherever Nes was pointing. Assuming the worst, he peered his head closer until...

"Mia?"

She tried to quieten him by placing a finger pleadingly on her lips, but as the Heavens would have it, it was too late.

"Mia? Where?" asked Sam.

Nat smirked as she sought her out quickly, "There," she pointed.

Nes turned her head in confusion, and Mel asked, "Uh, you okay there, Mia?"

Bucky remained hidden behind her figure, as she said, "Hey—Ehm, hey guys."

"...You protecting Gotham city from up there or something?" asked Sam.

"Ha! No, I...Just, wow this view, I...I wanted to, y'know, just soak it all...in."

Nat let a coy smile spread on her lips, "You haven't seen Barnes, have you?"

She stilled and let a thoughtful expression taint her face, "No, I haven't...Have you checked his room?"

"We called his name from outside but he didn't answer," said Steve.

Nat, being the angel _and_ demon that she was, replied, "He's probably asleep. Either way, let us know if you see him lying around anywhere."

Mia nodded stiffly and understood the glint in Nat's eyes immediately, who turned to head off of the balcony, and was followed by the others all in toe. Sam was the last one left, so he held his hand out to her and said, "C'mon, get back onto solid ground, kid. You didn't survive a fucking warzone just to fall off a roof."

Mia shook her head, "It's okay, Sammy. I'll come in a few minutes."

Unimpressed as ever, he said, "One of your feet don't work, remember? And when you slip off of a brick, all your Jiu-Jitsu-Tai-Chi-Chuck-Norris moves ain't gonna count for shit."

"Sam, I—"

He gave her a look that she understood all too well by now. Disgruntled as ever, she got up to her feet and scaled her way to him, grabbing onto his hand firmly while stepping over the railing.

"You couldn't have just looked at the view from the balcony instead of creepily climbing up rooves?" he asked as he heaved her with all the strength his wounded body could muster.

"It just...I don't know, it looked better from there."

"Yeah, yeah." He let go of her hand as she stepped back onto the balcony, fixing her shirt and walking back inside with him. "How's your, y'know, bullet wound?" she whispered.

"I can barely feel it. It's gonna hurt like a bitch tomorrow, though. But grazes just end up bruising, so it shouldn't be too bad," he shrugged. "How about you?"

"My foot doesn't hurt that much, it feels a little prickly, though. My neck's a little sore, but it was just a bit of choking."

He smirked, "Always knew you were into that sorta stuff."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Go to sleep, Wilson. And try not to grovel too much at Nes' feet, yeah?"

"Hey, I was _not_ grovelling. Just tryna have a conversation with a nice, young lady, that's all."

"Mhmm, whatever you say." She stretched her arms above her head and lulled it to the side, "Alright Sammy, I'll see ya in the morning."

"Night, kid," he smiled. "And good work today, on everything."

She saluted, "Learnt from the worst!"

She heard him laugh as he closed the door to his room, and in other circumstances, she would've waltzed her way back to her own one and gone to sleep...

...But it didn't feel right ending things like that.

Making sure once more that the coast was clear, she raced to the balcony to see if he was still there. She leant over the railing and let her eyes trail his silhouette, looking out at the view just as he had been before. He turned her way as she stood bashfully at the barrier, smiling a little and only just realising that she didn't have anything to say.

Luckily, he did it for her. "You're a terrible liar," he said softly.

She laughed and watched as his eyes glazed over her. "Well, at least that way you know everything I said to you was true," she said earnestly. "All of it."

He swallowed and heard only sincerity from her lips, "Thank you."

"Any time." She wanted him to know that her words weren't just for the present, they were meant for any moment in history that he needed them for. "In any life."

She watched his face sober and she let him mull over that before she muttered a small 'good night', slowly backing away from the railing and watching him all the while. The second she walked through the threshold of her room, she felt the most magnanimous weight lift from her shoulders, and the feelings fluttering in her heart and stomach were unruly at best. She'd felt so muchin the span of minutes, learnt so much about him in a matter of moments, and it hadn't been surface. It was raw and real, and everything she thought she'd never hear from him.

Sleep didn't come easily for either of them that night, but when it did, the usual throes of nightmares and memories didn't visit them. Instead, there was anticipation, excitement, wonder...and neither one of them had any clue what they'd walked into.

X

 _Uyanık olduğunu bilmiyordum_ – I didn't know you were awake

 _Ona benziyor mui –_ Doesn't he look like him?


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes: Howdy Diddly Neighborino's! Hope everyone's doing ammmaaaaazing and has had a kick-ass start to 2017! I was looking at the Story Stats today and noticed that the 3 main places that you guys are from are the U.S., the U.K. and Romania, which is blowing my miiiiiiiind because I'm literally thousands of kilometres away from youse here in Australia :')))) Y'all have been so amazing for sticking around this long, and I can't** _ **wait**_ **for you guys to see what's in store! Plenty of good things to come, and as always, I'd love to hear what you guys think :') Much love,**

 **\- M** __

Chapter 13

When Mia woke up the next morning, it wasn't from the sunlight softly pouring into her room, or from the sweet sound of birds chirping outside her window. Instead, it was a jarring noise that jolted her from a restful sleep, causing her to jump out of bed before she had the time to remember that her foot was on the mend from an injury.

"Holy shi—Ow," she said as she lay on the floor helplessly, one foot still tangled in her sheets. With an annoyed grunt and a dozen or so cusses, she heaved herself up and limped towards the door to investigate the source of the noise, with eyes still hazed by sleep.

She cracked the door open to see Mel bent down on the floor, collecting half a dozen packets of medication off of it. Mia walked towards her as quickly as she could and went to help as she asked, "Hey, you okay? What happened?"

She replied, "Ah, it was nothing, I just smacked my head into the oil lamp on my way up the stairs. Shit Mia, I didn't mean to wake you, you barely slept."

Mia shrugged her off, "I slept plenty. What time is it?"

She checked her phone, "8:14. Mia seriously, go back to sleep."

As much as she would've liked to, she was a little too wide awake now, and even trying would've been pointless. "It's no biggie, I'll sneak a nap in later if I need it." After she'd helped put all the packets back in their cardboard box, she asked curiously, "Is your aunt running a narcotics operation or something?"

She laughed, "Nah, we just buy her prescriptions in bulk so that she doesn't have to send someone to Istanbul every time she needs a refill."

She nodded, "How is she today?"

"She's good. The hospital took her in for her monthly check-up, actually. Picker her up an hour ago, so she should be back tomorrow."

Mia nodded, "Are the others awake?"

"Yeah, Cap and Sam are in the kitchen, I'm not sure where the other two are."

"You should've asked them to help you bring this stuff up, it's heavy as hell when you have to carry it for 3 flights of steps."

She shook her head, "I don't usually do it, but Nesibe's husband hasn't come back from his shift yet so I just figured I'd get it done."

Mia's eyes widened, "Nesibe's _husband_? She's married? Since when?" she asked incredulously.

"About a year and a half." Mel smirked, "Why, were you planning on making a move?"

"Well, it doesn't really matter now, does it?" she laughed a little. "What's he like?"

Mel picked up the box and headed for the staircase, "He's nice, kinda quiet though. But you'll like him, and he should be home soon." She yelled as she appeared from sight, "Breakfast is ready if you're hungry."

As if on cue, Mia's stomach rumbled angrily and it was then that she realised she'd barely eaten anything in the last 24 hours. Grabbing her toiletries from her room, she headed towards the bathroom and got ready to start the day, an unfaultable spring in her step and a mood rattled with contentment.

Meanwhile, Sam and Steve had gathered at the coffee table downstairs to discuss their travel plans for getting back home. But as it turned out, it was a little more complicated than they'd first anticipated.

"What does that even mean, 'Indefinitely Grounded'? The dude had _one job_ , and that was to _not_ get grounded. Wha—How long before he can fly again?" asked Sam.

Steve shook his head unknowingly, "Legally, Jordanian Forces can keep him there for 2 weeks. But we'll see what Nat comes back with to get a better idea, hopefully it'll only be a few days."

Sam leaned back on the kitchen bench and shook his head at their situation. Because this was how the universe worked, the ex-SHIELD pilot they'd contacted to retrieve them from Jordan had received a fine for a plane parking obstruction, which in turn lead to a fully fledged investigation of his proceedings. Nat and Bucky had managed to get a hold of him on the phone and were currently planning out their escape on the upper most level of the building.

The problem was that their resources were in scarce supply. The fall of SHIELD had meant the liquidisation of most of its military equipment, leaving only a few aeroplanes and even fewer pilots. And being that this mission had been top secret in nature, it wasn't wise to simply call around and see who was available to return the team back to the States.

Trying but failing to see any other choice, Sam hinted, "Y'know this would be a lot easier if Stark could send out one of his jets. It'd save us time and a whole lotta worrying."

Steve looked up and said firmly, "No. Tony's not an option."

"Steve, the guy could have us out of here in 2 hours. Why not?"

Nat walked in with her hair straightened to perfection and her clothes crisply ironed, "Because if word gets out that we ran a top-secret op in militarised Syria, we're gonna have a 3 year trial on our hands. The chance of that happening triples if we bring Tony into this."

"You saying he's not reliable?" asked Sam.

"I'm saying that there are people around him we can't trust. Besides," she put the phone down on the table, "Lenny's gonna be able to get us 2 days from now."

"He said that?" asked Steve as he turned in his seat to face her.

She nodded, "He said not to worry, they're just going through standard procedure."

Steve let out a sigh, knowing that Turkey wasn't the ideal place to be staying given their circumstances. But their options were limited, and there wasn't a boat, plane or jet that could get them back home any quicker than their pilot could.

Having cleaned up and changed into something mildly presentable, Mia walked into the kitchen with a beaming smile, but was interrupted before she even had a chance to speak, "Well, look who woke up on the right side of the bed," said Nat coyly.

"Why is she smiling like that? It's before noon, she should be plotting murders for being up this early," said Sam suspiciously.

"He's right, y'know. You should climb onto rooftops alone more often if you get a morning start like this," she said as she inched closer, "You were _alone_ , weren't you?"

Mia's poker face was as horrid as ever as she thought up a reply, but then her eyes fell on the phone sitting on the table. "Can I make a call?" she half-exclaimed. "I just—I really need to talk to my brother. He probably thinks I'm dead or dying, in which case he'll kill me anyway. But regardless, I can't put it off."

Nat picked it up and passed it to her, "Try to up your lying game a little bit, he'll see through you in a minute if you don't."

She nodded, "Yeah, I know, I—"

Mia froze mid-sentence when she saw a tall, lean man make his way casually up the stairs and into the kitchen to join them. He came to a stand-still when he noticed the people in the room as well, and everyone was at a bit of a loss as to what the hell to do.

"Can I...help...you?" asked Mia unsurely.

He blinked slowly, "Can I help _you_?" His light brown eyes flickered to each person in the room, "Who are you?"

Sam and Steve both stood up protectively, and Nat crossed her arms while Mia answered, "Who are you?"

His thick Turkish accent sounded a little irritated as he replied, "It does not work like that, I asked you first."

Mia crossed her arms in defence, "Well, that doesn't matter because I'm a woman and...y'know that means...I have...rights...?"

... _What?_

He drew his brows in confusion, "...What?"

"What what?"

He ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair harshly, "What do you mean?"

Mia squinted her eyes, "Well, that depends on the question."

Nat rolled her eyes, "Cool it, Spikey," she turned to the man, "What are you doing here, sir?"

"...Trying to have breakfast," he said seriously.

... _I am on a whole other level of confused right now..._

But that's when it clicked in Mia's outstandingly small brain, "Are you...Nesibe's husband?"

He said coolly, "Who else would have breakfast in my kitchen?"

In an instant, Mia and Nat visibly relaxed while Sam and Steve ascended to a whole other world of shock. "Wait, Nes' _husband_?" asked Sam.

"...What is a Nes?" he asked. Before he could get a reply, he repeated, "Who are you?"

"Aras," said Nes as she came bounding down the staircase. She leaned up to his cheek to plant a chaste kiss while his arm snaked languidly around her waist, " _Neredeydin_?" She turned back and smiled at the group, "Aras, these are Meltem's friends from America."

He let her go as everyone looked a little sheepishly at him, not knowing how to talk to a guy they'd kinda, sorta, maybe offended only moments earlier. "Sorry for the confusion, man. We really appreciate you letting us stay here," consoled Mia.

Aras nodded slightly but kept a curious eye on the group, almost as if he recognised them from somewhere. "It is fine, I just did not know you would be here."

Nes interceded, "We only found out last night while you were at work, _canim_." She put her hair up in a loose bun at the base of her head as she walked to the stove and asked, " _Biraz_ _çay ister misiniz?_ "

He nodded, " _Tamam_."

The team introduced themselves a little awkwardly, not wanting to come off as too shady or too excited either. Once both parties had sussed each other out long enough, Mia remembered that she had a phone call to make, one that really couldn't be put off any longer.

Nat suggested, "You might wanna take the call on the top level. It's a little tough to get a signal from here." Mia nodded and readied herself for 4 flights worth of stairs on a semi-functional leg, using the railings to heave herself up each step nice and calmly.

When she got to the 3rd floor, she took a break and bent down to adjust her bandage a little, which is why she didn't notice the 200-and-something-pound ex-Soviet Beefcake™ making his way down the same few steps. All he could see was her prodding at her ankle in a way that couldn't have been good for its healing process, which is when he asked quietly, "Tryna make it worse?"

She leapt up with wide eyes, "Jes—Hey! Hi, ehm, hey." She gathered her wits and ran a hand through her hair, "Uh no, the damn bandage just keeps coming off. I think I need to do it again."

He noticed that she'd almost instantly used her hair to obscure the faint bruises on her neck, and he felt equal parts guilty and grateful at that. She was a little jumpy, not that she was particularly _stable_ on most days, but she just seemed a little…different.

They both stood a stair apart and dawdled while they waited for the other to say something. Almost immediately, the previous night's events came flooding back to her, complete with all the memories he'd entrusted her with and the comfort he'd allowed her to give. She could feel a childlike nervousness churning in her stomach, and it made making eye contact with him 13 times harder than usual. Before she could man up and blurt whatever came to mind, he asked, "You calling your brother?"

She looked down at the phone, "Yeah, I am. It's…about time, y'know. Otherwise he'll probably send out a search party and I'll be on next week's episode of 'Crime Stoppers'," she laughed, forgetting that he had _no idea_ what the hell that was. "It's a TV show, y'know, about stopping…crimes…"

He nodded, maybe a hint of amusement in his eyes, "Got it."

She shook her head and smiled, which is when he asked, "Where are the others?"

"Uh, I think on the 2nd level."

"The dining room?"

She nodded, "Yep." He gave her one last look before he took a step away from her, which is when Mia (for no apparent reason and against her better judgment) said as a parting comment, "Don't get lost."

…

…

 _Die._

She shut her eyes the second the words left her mouth and didn't hesitate before turning her back to him to walk up the stairs as quickly as she could. The minute she was out of sight, she buried her face into her hands and mumbled something along the lines of 'why do I even exist' and 'God, just send Jason Bourne to kill me with a stapler'.

Putting aside her hopeless attempts at casual conversation, she completed the death defying 4-story journey of stairs and opened the door to find a flat roof that spanned for a few meters. The sun was high in the sky and blinding as ever, so she walked over to the cozy Turkish-styled pergola and took refuge in its shade as she dialed her brother's number.

She took a deep breath and reminded herself that this was her brother she was talking to, he would understand why she hadn't called. The phone began to ring and she continued her mental pep talk, _He's gonna be fine, Mia. Just relax. This isn't a Guatemalan warlord, it's Zayn and he's gonna be perfectly reasonable—_

"Hello?"

Mia smiled at the sound of his voice, "Zayn! It's me."

There was silence for a few moments and she thought the signal had dropped out. "Hello? Zayn? You there?"

Still there was no sound coming through the receiver, but just as she was about to cut the phone to redial, she heard him say lowly, "I'm going to assassinate you."

She shut her eyes tightly, "Look, I know you're upset but—"

"Upset?" He laughed sarcastically, "Upset?! What makes you think I'm upset?!"

"Zayn _please_ just hear me out. I'm insanely, stupendously, _ridiculously_ sorry for not calling. The connection here was terrible and—"

"Mia," he said calmly, "What was the _one thing_ I asked you to do when you got to Turkey?"

She sighed, "Call every day."

"Ding ding ding," he said loudly, "And what's the _one bullshit excuse_ I asked you not to use when you didn't call?"

She mumbled sheepishly, "That the connection was bad."

"And she's right again! Y'know, for someone who knows all the answers, you sure fucked this one up, didn't you?"

"Okay, look. I'm being _serious_ , there wasn't any internet where we were and—"

"Where wewere? Where else have you been? Who's 'we'?"

Her eyes widened, "No, I…I mean 'we' as in 'me-we', y'know, it's just a fun way to refer to…myself."

"…What the fuck are you talking about, Mia?"

She shook her head and sighed, "Look, bottom line is I'm really _really_ sorry for not calling or messaging, there was just… _so_ much going on and there really _was_ a terrible phone connection, so I'm not lying about that. Even now, I'm standing up on the roof to get a good signal."

He let out a heavy sigh and stayed silent for a few moments, before saying softly, "I just…got worried 'cos I know Mel lives on the border and…I don't know, it's just…close to home."

Mia shut her eyes, "Yeah, I…we actually came to her town when we were younger. Remember Hatay?"

"She lives in _Hatay_? Wow, that's…you sure can pick 'em." He let out a breath and asked defeatedly, "So, you having fun, loser?"

She broke into a wide smile, "It's been amazing, yeah. Everything on this side of the world is amazing, to be honest. It's been quite the experience."

"So is it just you and Mel with her aunt?"

She couldn't tell him exactly who else was there, but she could twist the truth just a little. "No, actually there are the two people who own the building and they've…rented it out to some…American tourists."

"So the two of you and bunch of college jocks? That's just what I wanted to hear," he deadpanned.

"No, they're not college students. They're, um…senior citizens," she cringed.

"…So the two of you and a bunch of pedophiles? Mia, this is a fucked up situation no matter how you spin in it."

"They're not pedoph—Oh my God Zayn, what's wrong with you, man?" she laughed.

"Tell 'em to keep their dentures and pimp canes away from you, alright? And if anyone tries to get freaky, just," she heard him _actually_ do the move to demonstrate, "kick him in his 'Holy Spirit', if ya know what I mean."

"…I really don't…"

Before either one of them could continue, the door to the rooftop was flung open and Sam sought out the back of Mia's head to tell her, "Mia! Cap and Barnes need you downstairs."

Mia was about to turn and face Sam to _shush_ him lest her brother heard anything from the other end, but it was already too late. "Who was that?"

She widened her eyes, "No one."

"That didn't sound like no one. Who's 'Captain Barnes' and why does he need you downstairs?" he asked a little jokingly, but mostly curiously.

"No, he said Cap and—" she shut her mouth and reminded herself _not to say incriminating things._ "Ehm, oh…that's just…something we call one of the tourists here." She tried to give him something that would solidify her lie, "He's really sweet, super old…um, and we play…'Cluedo' together."

"…Well, it sounds like you've found the one then, haven't you?"

… _If only he knew…_

"Ha! No, that's…ehm, good one."

He let out a sigh, "So first I don't hear from you in 10 days, then when you find the time to call me, you ditch me after 2 minutes to go chill with Captain Barnyard?"

"Oh my God," she shook her head.

"It's nice to know that I'm such an important person in your life, Mia. No, really. It's fine."

She scoffed, "Don't you have a job that you should be at right now? It's like 3 pm over there."

"…That's beside the point…"

She laughed, "Okay, I really have to go now."

"Okay, okay, wait! Just…when are you getting back home?"

"What, to D.C.? I can't say for sure, but probably a few days from now," she guessed. "Why?"

"Oh, no reason. Just…wanted to know. Don't stay there too long."

She nodded, taking note of his unusual tone. "Rightio, then. Okay, I'll call you tomorrow, I promise."

He scoffed, "Your 'promise' market value is dropping by the dollar every day. Does that mean I'll hear from you in 3 weeks?"

"Stop being a baby, I'll call you tomorrow," she smiled, "Take care of yourself. And for the love of God, _find a girl already_."

"I will when you will!" He laughed proudly, "Okay, I'm done."

She shook her head and looked back to see Sam still waiting there, "I'll talk to you later, _zalami_."

"Bye, M," and with that, she hung up the phone and headed her friend's way. "What's up?"

"They need you downstairs," he said.

"For what? Is everything okay?"

He shrugged, "I'm just the messenger, girl." He held the door open for her as they stepped their way slowly down the stairs, and it was only then that Mia remembered her companion was still recovering from a gunshot wound. "Sam! I—How are you feeling? Oh God, I keep forgetting you were _freaking shot_."

He waved dismissively, "I'm so high right now, I can barely feel a thing."

Her eyes widened, "Really?"

He nodded, "From the pills. Yeah, its SHIELD issued 'non-drowsy and sense-enhancing pain relief medication'. The shitty part is that I can't feel the buzz, but it stimulates cognitive receptors so I'm a little wired."

She let out a low whistle, "We learned about this stuff in second year but…they said that they were still in the trial process. I didn't know they were available to the public."

He snickered, "They're not. SHIELD used them for agents assigned to missions in volatile climates. That way, even if you get shot, you'll be able to function normally for a few hours before the pain kicks in. Helps to finish operations."

She shook her head, "I can't believe how little I knew about this side of the world. SHIELD, Hydra. I didn't even know Hydra was around anymore, I just figured it got killed off with the Nazi's."

He frowned, "Neither did we."

They made it to the third floor at a snail's pace, by which point Mia had already tired herself out to the point where she was half draped over Sam, chattering his ear off about the importance between Feta and Haloumi cheese. He heard her without really listening, and by the time they _finally_ made it to the living room, he decided never to play messenger _ever again._

"It's just _so rubbery_. I mean, Feta cheese is so nice and salty, and _crumbly_ as well. No one looks at their sandwich and goes, 'Hmm, you know what would make this even better? Some dang-diddly Haloumi cheese'."

"Alright, okay, you've made your point. Now can someone please get this woman off of me," he winced as he unwound her arm from his shoulder. He looked at Bucky, "Next time, get your girl _your-goddamn-self_."

Bucky glared at Sam with the force of a thousand Jedi's, and Mia reddened to the point where she was half way to tomato-dom. Nat simply smirked, and Steve was the one to address her first, "We need your clothes."

She blinked slowly, "My what?"

"Your clothes," he replied.

"Well, I mean…I don't know if they'll fit you Cap, but you can try."

Sam and Nat let out small laughs, and to Mia's _utter delight_ , Bucky cracked a real smile as well. Steve shook his head quickly, "They're not…y'know, for me—We gotta burn 'em."

She quirked a brow, "You wanna _burn_ them?"

He nodded, "We all have to, just to be safe. If someone traces some satellite images, things could get tricky."

"You mean they'd come searching through our things?" she asked incredulously.

"They'd do a lot worse than that," said Nat. "Don't worry, your friend said she'd take you shopping in the city for new clothes, if you wanted."

Mia nodded absently, "Yeah, that'd be good. Um, I guess I'll just go grab them," she turned to make the 10-step trek up the stairs once more and made a beeline for her room.

Within 15 minutes, Mia had said goodbye to her mum's dress and the other pieces of clothing she'd worn during her fateful mission. Stashing those things into a plastic bag, and downing a few painkillers from her bedside table, she thought to her _current_ dilemma, which was that there was, effectively, nothing left to wear besides her pyjamas.

She heard Nesibe pass her room and decided to take a chance at some fashion assistance. "Nes! Hey, uh, I was just wondering…if you wouldn't mind, is there an old dress or something that I can borrow? It's just that, all my dresses are dirty and Mel's are about 4 inches too long for me."

Her warm brown eyes lit up and she nodded enthusiastically, "Of course, I will bring you a few of them and you decide."

Mia nodded gratefully and waited, while the others downstairs discussed who would be accompanying the girls on their spontaneous trip.

"Who else is going?" asked Nat.

Sam shrugged, "Mel, Nes and Mia."

Nat turned herself on the couch to look at Bucky, "Well, we've all been on TV recently, but you were the only one in a mask. No point working so hard just to get found out now," she smirked, "Sorry Barnes."

Sam couldn't control his hearty laughter, "Call the newspapers and tell your friends, 'The Winter Soldier Goes Dress Shopping After Retirement'. Ha! I bet your boy Pierce's rolling around in his grave right now, boy."

"Fuck off, Birdshit," Bucky scowled.

"Ey, that ain't cool, man," frowned Sam.

"Where are they gonna go?" Steve asked Nat.

"There's a small shopping district down by the port."

Steve nodded and the team sprouted off into conversations of their own. Their current situation was unlike any other they'd been in. Everything about their surroundings was homely and comforting, with 3 out of the 4 of them sat comfortably on couches and most worries absent from their mind. They were each in a place of contentment that they hadn't been in a long time, whether it be because of war or life's unfair consequences. But lazing in a modest home on a summer's morning, surrounded by people they felt most comfortable with...it didn't get much better than that.

The team was still in deep conversation when Mia made her way down the stairs slowly. Nes had managed to dig out every expensive dress she owned just to give Mia more options to choose from, and her heart filled with warmth at just how hospitable the people were there. She made the last step down and was partially obscured by the dividing wall, meaning that she was in Bucky's direct line of vision, and hidden from everyone else's sight.

He'd been sitting against the wall with his arms draped over his knees, half-heartedly listening to a story that Sam was recounting. His eyes weren't fixed anywhere in particular until he caught a glimpse of red at the bottom of the stairs, which was when he looked up and simply gaped, unknowingly and rather unashamedly.

She was fiddling with a loose thread on the side of her dress when he saw her. A few parts of her hair were drawn back away from her face, with the rest of it down in natural waves along her chest. As his eyes trailed down, he noted that the dress she wore was one he'd never seen her in before, of a deep red colour and short off-the-shoulder sleeves that made her look more Cyprian than Syrian. It tightened at her waist and flowed down to just above her ankles, with a conservative slit running up the length of one leg. She looked _breathtaking_ , and it was in moments like this when she reduced him to such a reaction, that it became harder and harder for him to convince himself that she meant little in his eyes.

Just a few hours earlier, the hands that were now fidgeting with some string had been cupped in his, and he could still feel the ghost of her touch along his jaw. How many days and nights had passed since he'd last been made to feel like that, to feel so _human._ And in her eyes, he'd seen tears that held empathy and compassion...and everything in between. What a night it had been, and what an unexpected turn of events things had taken.

She was still limping, though, and the pained expression that masked her face sent jolts of guilt through his veins. He swallowed and thought to look away, but then she glanced up and their eyes met...and he knew there wasn't a chance that his sight would waver.

She smiled nervously, still playing with the loose thread in her hand. She couldn't see the rest of the team, but they seemed to be engaged in a conversation that Bucky had no interest in. The way he was seated with his head lulled to the wall and his gloved hands hung carelessly over his knees made him seem unusually comfortable, unfazed. She didn't get to see him like that often, but she'd make the most of it while she could.

Still at the base of the stairs, she decided she wanted to say something, anything, and so with a _to hell with it_ moment in mind, she mouthed, "Bored?"

She could tell Bucky didn't quite understand her the first time by the way his brows drew subtly. She laughed softly and repeated with an exaggerated look of sleepiness to get her point across, "Bored?"

He kept a straight face as he shook his head, so Mia tried again, almost giddily asking, "Tired?"

She didn't even know if exhaustion was the sort of thing he felt, but she figured it was worth a shot. Again, this time a little amusedly, he shook his head. The hint of mischief in his eyes made Mia wanted to simultaneously scream and burst into flames at what they were doing invisibly in the company of so many other people. She was only metres away, but no one could see her and their attention wasn't focused on the two of them at all.

She was determined to figure out what was going through his head, and that was when she heard the conversation that was taking place amongst the room's other occupants.

"—I'm telling you, man. I mean, he ain't no Jackie Robinson, but this guy's gonna take the Dodgers to the Championships this year, without a doubt. The game's changed since 1924, Cap."

Mia grinned and bit her lip before mouthing, "Is it Sam?"

Bucky's mouth upturned ever so slightly as he gave a small nod of the head. Seeing as they were doing this, he decided to add in a little something extra, which is why he folded his fingers into the shape of a gun on his right hand and discreetly pointed it at Sam. He subtly shut one eye as if he was taking aim and pulled the trigger on his imaginary weapon, overtly proud of himself when he induced the kind of reaction in Mia he'd hoped for.

Being that she hadn't expected something so light hearted and _silly_ from him, she couldn't control the laughter that spilled from her lips. Immediately, Sam and Nat turned in their seats to look at Bucky (who'd returned to a neutral expression) and then the staircase to see where the burst of laughter had come from.

Mia covered her mouth to try and stop herself, but figured it was too late anyway, so she hobbled out and into the open, still smiling like a bit of an imbecile.

"Hey—Ehm, hey guys."

Sam eyed her suspiciously, "...You okay?"

"Yeah, no I'm fine. Just..." she looked at Bucky and almost lost it when he had a little _smirk_ on his lips, "I just remembered an old joke."

Nat looked at her like she always did, as though she was privy to classified information including when the world would end, whether humans really evolved from apes and who the next President would be. Thankfully, Steve saved her before further questioning could be pursued, "You look nice, Mia. I'm sorry you didn't get to keep your mum's clothes," he said kindly.

She smiled, "Thanks, Steve-o." He replied in kind, smiling at the nicknames she seemed to give everyone she encountered, "It's alright, I've got a few more of her things at home."

"Is everybody ready?" asked Nes as she came bounding down the stairs, "Ah, _güzel görünüyorsun_ Mia. You look gorgeous."

Mia blushed more than she did when Steve had complimented her, "Well, it's your dress so...you're to thank for that."

She nodded, "You're most welcome." She looked around, "Where is Meltem?"

"I'm here!" said Mel as she barrelled down the stairs, "Whew, I thought you guys already left."

Mia eyed her friend's face curiously and couldn't help but notice the furious shade of red it had taken on. "Mel? You okay?"

She scoffed, "Of course! Why...why do you ask that?"

Mia wanted to out her in front of everyone because Mel only got that way when she'd spoken to a guy, and that too, a guy she _liked_. But she didn't want to humiliate her in front of people she wasn't 100% used to yet, and besides, Mel's clapback game was _on point_ , so she had to be careful.

She nodded knowingly and looked to Nes for further directions, at which point she told them to wait downstairs while she got her purse. Mia was about to bid her goodbyes when Nat said, "Not so fast, Alfiyan. Grandpa's going with you."

Mia looked to Bucky as he stood up and shrugged on his light jacket. She should've figured that someone would accompany them while they were out, but she just hadn't expected it to be him. Self-consciously, she fiddled with her hair a little and brushed down her dress as he followed them downstairs, looking back once at Sam, Nat and Steve to see a variation of aware smirks on their faces.

As they stood in front of the apartment building, Mia and Bucky got a chance to see it in daylight for the first time. It, along with the houses surrounding it, was a piece of history frozen in time, and possessed the kind of Eastern beauty that Bucky had only ever seen in movies when he was younger. On the other side of the building lay the view they'd shared under the moonlight the previous night, and when they glanced each other's way at the same time, they knew their thoughts weren't too far from one another's.

"Okay, the shops are 10 minutes from here if we walk. Is that okay?"

Feeling _insanely_ better after another dosage of medicine, Mia was all game to make the downhill trek and nodded in agreeance. As they walked, she fell into toe with Mel while Bucky and Nes walked behind them, Nes still blissfully unaware as to who he was and treating him as she would any other young American tourist.

"So, you wanna tell me why your face morphed into a tomato back there?" Mia grinned. "What's going on, Mel?"

Mel scoffed, "I think you know _exactly_ what's going on because you're the one who orchestrated the entire thing."

"Wait, wait, wait. First you need to tell me what's happening so that I know we're on the same page," she said for reassurance.

Mel sighed, "Alright. So, I was at the airport about to check in for my flight in D.C., and you'll _never guess_ who showed up in my queue," she said sarcastically.

"Jeremy Renner?"

She gave her a look, "Think more _Scottish_."

"...Gerard Butler...?"

"C'mon Mia," she laughed.

"Okay, okay. Was it Richy?"

She gave her a light nudge, "You _know_ it was him because you're the one who told him what time my flight was!"

"Hey, he asked me! I wasn't gonna hide it from him," she defended.

" _And_ you also managed to forget that he came to the restaurant and... _said things_ to you," she said disbelievingly, "How could you not tell me, M?!"

She shook her head and laughed, "Look, he asked me what you thought of him. I told him straight up, but I wasn't gonna ruin the surprise for you! What kind of a terrible human being would I be to do that?"

She let her head fall back as they walked a narrow, cobblestoned path, "I know, I know. I just...I was _so sure_ that he didn't want anything to do with me. And...well, 'cos uni was finished and I was coming here, I thought I'd never really get the chance to see him again."

Mia buried her head in her hands, "Mel, I have been telling you _since day one_ that he had a thing for you. I knew it! He was just being a little girl about it, he should've said something earlier. Imagine how much time that could've saved you both. Forget time, imagine how much _pain_ that would've saved you."

Unbeknownst to Mia, Bucky had been listening and couldn't help but strike a chord of familiarity with what she was saying. She was obviously a little agitated that this fella had hidden away his feelings about Mel for so long, but by the way she spoke, it almost sounded...a little personal.

"She is very passionate," said Nes softly as she leaned in.

He smiled tersely, "Yeah, she is."

The two girls walked a few more steps ahead so that their conversation couldn't be heard, and that's when Nes took note of the way his gaze tripped on after her. He looked at her profile, and the way her figure was carved in that dress. His eyes spoke of desire and protection, but the most notable emotion that Nes could detect was one she'd seen in the eyes of few men her whole life.

It was longing.

"You told her she is beautiful?" she asked.

He snapped his head her way, "What?"

"Have you told her she is beautiful yet?" she repeated, "Your Miriya?"

 _...How the fuck are people on this side of the world so perceptive?_

"She's not 'mine'," he said a little gruffly.

"But you wish her to be," she replied.

He shook his head, repeating the same thing he'd told Azim but tasting the falsehood in it as he said it, "It's not like that."

He would've elaborated, but she cut him off by saying, "She wishes to be yours, too."

His footsteps slowed and he tried to control the stutter in his breath at hearing someone else point that out. He wasn't stupid. In the time that he'd known her, the amount of people who'd _genuinely_ assumed them to be a couple was staggering. Hell, even his own teammates were convinced that there was something going on between them. The problem was that both of them were just as oblivious and cautious as the other, but it got him thinking...just how many people could be wrong about the same thing?

Reluctantly, and with a _little_ bit of fear, he asked, "...How can you tell?"

She laughed as though no one had ever posed such a stupid question to her before, "Because," she shimmied her hands, "Nesibe knows everything."

He smiled a little and couldn't help but feel at ease the longer he spoke to her. She wasn't attached to the team, nor was her opinion influenced by any factors that were variables in his life. She simply saw what she perceived, and reacted to that. His past didn't matter to her, and neither did Mia's; she was simply going off of what was real. So without taking a decade to think it through, he swallowed and admitted, "I don't know what to do."

She _tsk'd_ as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "You have not even told her she is beautiful yet! _Bughy_ , that will be the beginning. And then from there," she snapped her fingers, "It will be magic."

She smiled so surely when she said that, as though nothing could have made more sense. But she didn't know the half of the story, and the frown on his face told her that she was missing something.

"I hope you do not mind me asking," she waited for him to nod, "But...what is it that you are afraid of?"

He removed a hand from his pocket to run it shakily through his hair, sifting through the embedded recesses of his thoughts to answer her truthfully. He looked up to see the woman in question and took a moment to appraise her.

She was just so _untainted_. He knew that she'd seen things, witnessed unforgivable realities in her past, but no one could take one look at her and presume that she'd ever known sadness. Even now, she smiled easily and walked without fear of stumbling upon old shadows, and if they were ever to cross a line that fell beyond their current place, she could never live in that comfort again. Everything she knew would become diseased by his presence, the relationships she held dear, the security she thought she lived in. She would eventually become someone who would glance over her shoulder to make sure there weren't figures looming behind her, silhouettes from Bucky's past that he wouldn't be able to shake.

He thought she'd be forsaking all that she was to take on who _he_ had once been.

He wet his lips before saying softly, "There's so much she doesn't know about me. I'm not...I'm not good for her."

What Nes saw in him wasn't confidence, nor surety. He was simply broken, and because of the examples she'd had in her own life, she knew that convincing someone like him otherwise would be difficult.

But, nevertheless, try she would.

She glanced down at her shoes, "You know my husband, Aras?" He nodded, "He works the night shift at the lantern factory in a town 60 km from here."

He listened, not sure where she was going with it but keen to find out. She quietened for a moment, seemingly trying to find the best way to word something when she spoke, "When he was 7, he was taken from his family by the _Laz_ and forced to stay with their militia for 20 years." Bucky looked at her, surprise evident on his face.

She cleared her throat, "He did what he had to do to survive with them, but after a while, his heart failed him and he did not want to live in that world anymore. It was not easy, but he managed to find a way out. So, he moved as far away from them as he could, and he has been living here for 2 years." She looked up at him and smiled softly, "You remind me of him when we first met. He was so, _korkmu_ _ş,_ how you say... _scared_ of himself, of everything around him. But most of all, he did not want to put me in a place where I would be in danger."

She nudged him softly when his face became pensive, "Just a few years ago, he was tied to men who were oppressors and waged evil on our shores. And now..." she laughed gently, "I wait until he comes back home at 8:30 in the morning to give him his chai and a newspaper, pick shards of lantern from his shirt and live a quiet life by his side." She looked at him, eyes swimming with all that was earnest and true, "Our story turned out fine, _Bughy._ And so will yours. Just...do not be the one to decide what she wants."

He let his eyes linger on the pavement he continued to walk upon, and he couldn't remember the last time such simple words had been so grounding. _Do not be the one to decide what she wants_. He remembered back to the time he went to her tournament, he'd told her that they'd both been robbed of their right to choose, and that they had a chance to take it back. Here he was, all this time later, and the truth still remained the same. The objective was different and so were the stakes, but the ability to choose...that was omnipresent.

"Is your husband okay with you telling me all this?" he asked genuinely.

She laughed fondly, "He is okay with whatever I am okay with," she shrugged, "And you needed to hear this. I know I am young, but I have seen your eyes in other people many times before, each looking for something warm and light." She pointed at Mia as she walked still in front of them, "Let her be that for you."

He shut his eyes briefly because _wow,_ he'd gotten more unsolicited advice from strangers in the last few days than he had from _anyone_ his entire life. But the part that troubled him the most was that they were sounbelievably wise, and so right.

So, _so_ right.

"Ah, and we are here," said Nes excitedly as she walked forward to the girls. But before she spoke to them, she turned back to Bucky and whispered with a smile, "Remember what I said, _beautiful_."

He looked down at her as she waited for him to reply, so with a _very_ subtle nod of the head, he acquiesced to her whim.

 _Let's see where this shit takes me._

X

"That's it. That's the dress. If you don't get it, I'm gonna set all your ukuleles on fire," said Mia seriously. Taking in the look that Mel and Nes shared, she elaborated, "It's a...figure of speech."

Mel huffed, "I don't know. It's a little... _blue_ don't you think?"

"That's the point, Mel! That's _your_ colour, you'll look _bangin'_. Please, just _please_ trust me on this."

"I agree, Meltem. _Gerçekten muhteşem_."

Mel looked at both of their pleading faces and gave in, "Alright, fine." Mia and Nes hi-fived each other coolly, "But if I look terrible, that's on you."

Mia deadpanned, "We can live with that."

"Miriya, did you want to try your dresses on?" asked Nes.

Mia shook her head, "I think I'm good. 4 dresses are _way_ too much to try on when my feet are this sore and my stomach is this empty. What time is it?"

Mel checked her watch, "12:10."

Mia groaned, "Dear _Lordie_ , we've been out here for 2 hours. How is that even possible?" She looked around to try and spot Bucky, who told them he'd be hovering around until they were finished, "Do you think he's made a run for it?"

Mel shook her head, "Nah, I don't think he could even if he wanted to."

"Why? He has legs, legs that function...very well. If I were him, I'd be half way to D.C. instead of waiting around for 3 indecisive women to buy dresses," she sighed and whispered mostly to herself, "He did not escape Hydra for this shit."

The bazaar they were in was made of up colourful, compact stalls that were abuzz with people. There were stores for fabrics and clothes, as well as for pots and handicraft. The owners showed immense kindness to their customers, engaging in pleasantries and conversation for what seemed like hours on end. Mia couldn't get over the amount of bargaining that went into buying things from there, which was why she was doubly surprised when Nes and Mel teamed up to make a super-Turkish duo and bartered the price of their dresses down to half the cost.

"I have no idea what you were saying to that guy but _oh my God_ Turkish sounds so good. It's so...gah, I don't even know what word to use," said Mia in awe.

Nes laughed, "If you were staying for longer then we could have taught you a little."

"Yeah, now that you're here, why don't you just stay? There's almost two months left before graduation, you have time to kill," added Mel.

"Believe me, I would've loved to, but Nora's understaffed as it is and they're not big on hiring new people. Her and Piero had to do a bunch of last minute changes when I told them I was coming here," said Mia. The truth was, as much as she would've loved to stay abroad for a while longer, her heart was yearning for something that she was familiar with. D.C. had become home, and the idea of being away from comfortable surroundings any longer just wasn't all that appealing.

"Ah, there he is," pointed out Nes. Bucky was leaning against a broken fruit cart and silently observing the people who passed by him. He'd watched the girls the whole time they'd been shopping around, but no matter how hard he tried to shake it, he got the nagging feeling that there were a pair of eyes elsewhere who had them in their sights.

But he figured he was being paranoid. Coming out from a high-stakes mission was never easy, especially when there were so many people that he cared about to be concerned with. But they'd done what they had to do, and he needed to hone in the instincts he'd developed over so long, for the sake of everyone else's comfort and his sanity.

He stood when he spotted the girls making their way over to him. He'd remembered a similar moment when he had waited for his mother to return from the shops, bags in hand and dress ruffling softly in the wind just as theirs were doing now. All three of them seemed happy, and seeing Mia with a smile painted on her face after the ordeal she'd been through just the day before was utterly relieving.

"Find anything?" he asked them softly.

"Plenty. You are sure you don't need anything, _Bughy_?" asked Nes.

He shook his head, "I'm good."

She nodded, "Well, shall we head back?"

They all nodded and this time, Mel and Nes led the way while Mia and Bucky fell into step behind them. She was carrying a bag in either hand that wasn't exactly light, but she tried to hide the fact as she walked by his side. He seemed thoughtful, as though there was something playing at his mind. She sneaked a glance at him and tried to think of a conversation starter, _anything_ to break the silence.

"So, uh, you didn't see anything you liked?" she asked.

He looked up at her with a glint in his eye, "I've got everything I need."

She nodded, trying to figure out why she was finding it so impossibly hard to have a normal conversation with him that day. She readjusted her grips on the bags when he noticed their weight and said, "Here, let me."

"No, it's fine. They're not heavy," she fumbled.

Her protests fell on deaf ears as he easily slipped his hands over the grips and took them from her, watching her huff helplessly. "I could've taken them, y'know," she said lightly.

"I know," he looked at her, "But you shouldn't have to."

She felt herself flush and redirected her gaze firmly to her feet for the next few minutes. They were still weaving their way through the crowded _bazaar_ when Nes turned discreetly to Bucky and pointedly looked at Mia, reminding him that he kind of had something he'd like to say to her.

He broadened his shoulders and took comfort in knowing that he had once been a confident guy. From what Steve had told him and the few memories he'd managed to recover, he'd never had much trouble when it came to talking to women. He could remember going on dates and giggling broads fighting over who'd prize the seat next to him. Sometimes, he could feel himself slip into a few old habits in the way he'd react when someone looked at him with interest, or on the off chance where he'd have to make an appearance in front of 'distinguished' company.

But this was different, and he knew he had to approach things a certain way. So he readied himself to take a big step in the direction he hoped they were headed and looked down at her as she walked close by. Her hair was covering part of her face, but it was enough for his mouth to go a little dry and seek out her eyes.

"Hey," he said quietly. She looked up at him, "You know, uh...you..." he let out a breath, "I just—"

"Oh my God, Bucky," she said as she clasped his arm instinctively and looked past his shoulder with wide eyes.

"What? What is it?" he asked seriously.

She pointed to the stall that her sights had zoned in on, her mouth already watering at the sight. "Shawarma," she whispered. She looked up at him with excitement livid on her face, "Shawa—Buck, the sandwich, the one I was telling you about."

He let out a breath of relief because he'd assumed the worst and he only just realised how tightly she was clutching his forearm. He turned to see the cause of her entrancement and couldn't help but feel his stomach rumble _ever so slightly_ at the sight of a chicken vender where an old man was making those coveted sandwiches that she seemed to love religiously.

She looked up at him and probably didn't even realise that her warm brown eyes were widened with excitement as she pleaded, "Can we...Do you wanna...maybe...get one?"

...

...

She could've asked for his right kidney at that moment and he probably would've said yes.

He nodded and she broke into a giddy smile, all but forgetting that Nes and Mel had accompanied them on the trip as she led him to the small stall determinedly. She still hadn't realised that she was holding his arm, but he couldn't find a reason in the world to complain when it felt as right as it did.

She approached the old man and smiled, " _Merhaba_ , _amca_. Uh," she checked how much change she had in her small pocket, "How much for one?"

He smiled warmly, "3 lira."

Mia pulled out the 4 liras she had and looked at Bucky, "Is it alright if we just get one?"

He nodded reassuringly, so she turned to the man, "Just one please, _amca_."

He took the money from her and looked at Bucky cheekily, "You allow wife to pay?" He _tsk'd tsk'd,_ "Not good."

Mia felt a boiled kettle's worth of heat eclipse her senses as she heard that, while also realising that she'd been holding onto his arm like a lifeline the entire time. But before she could leap away at roughly the speed of an F1 vehicle, Bucky surprised the _living daylights_ out of her by saying, "She made me wait 2 hours while she looked for dresses, so..." he shrugged.

The old man laughed heartily while Mia simply stared ahead with her mouth open and her brain frying to epic proportions. The blush that bloomed over her tanned skin caught his eye as he looked at her, smiling a little proudly because something about the familiarity of the situation told him that it wasn't the first time he'd reduced a girl to a reaction like that.

Mia, on the other hand, felt as though she was having a mid-life crisis at the age of 22. He'd been acting so differently that day, first the finger gun and now light-hearted jokes that had to do with her being his wife...she couldn't understand how he'd been so calloused the day before, and so... _charming_ only hours later.

She was pulled from her reverie when the man handed them the holy meal as he said, " _Buyur kizim_." She didn't know what the hell that meant but it sounded like chocolate truffles and caviar rolling off of his tongue when he said it, so she thanked him and they bid their goodbyes. Mia now clasped onto her shawarma as though it held the key to all the unsolved mysteries of the world, but her primary objective was not forgotten.

She led him to the side of the _bazaar_ where they stood under the shade of a small date tree. She turned to him and took both bags from his hands at once, tossing them to the side and straightening her dress as she stood resolutely in front of him. "What you're about to experience...it's gonna change your life," she said seriously. "Don't be surprised if things are never the same again."

Bucky tried to stop the laugh that fell from his lips, but he couldn't do it when she was standing there, holding a fancy sandwich in her hand, looking at him like _that_. She melted a little at the sound, but did her best to keep a sober exterior, "You think I'm joking, but I'm gonna be the one laughing in a minute."

She thrust the wrap in his direction and watched as he took it, fingers brushing hers and obviously not expecting to be blown away. She crossed her arms and waited confidently as he unwrapped the foil and examined it for a moment. With one last look her way, he brought it to his mouth and let his teeth sink into it.

...And for the first time in his life, he felt sparks fly.

Mia could tell the moment she saw his eyes close a little that he was gone. She smiled contentedly and quirked a brow as he chewed slowly, taking his time to savour the taste. He looked up at her slowly, and she couldn't help but think that he seemed like a guy that'd just gotten the best lay of his life.

 _Shit Mia, stop thinking about that shit, stop, stop, stop._

"Did I tell you, or did I tell you?" she asked proudly. "You shouldn't have doubted me."

He swallowed, "I've...never had anything like that." He looked down at it and passed it her way.

"It's okay, have a few more bites first," she said, but he simply looked at her pointedly. She didn't need too much convincing before she clasped it from his gloved hand and took a heavenly bite of her own. The moment she did, she could _feel_ all of her past shawarmas floating away because she'd _never ever_ had something so unbelievably authentic, with the cheese and the chicken marrying perfectly to transport her to another state of being.

He'd been watching her keenly, and took a moment to let his eyes glaze down to the slit where her thigh peaked out teasingly. Her eyes were closed and she had a light sheen of sweet along her body, and his _predicament_ wasn't helped by the fact that she let out a small sigh as she chewed her first bite.

"This is...My God, I don't have words," she passed it back, "Take it away before I go and propose to that man for creating such gorgeous food."

He looked at her plainly, "Don't do that."

He'd never been so open before, and he sure as hell had never had so much to say. Putting her hands on her hips and deciding to take a chance, she asked with a barely there smile, "Why not?"

He took another bite, but this time kept his eyes focused on her, and the faux coolness she'd thought she had a moment ago all but evaporated into thin air. His eyes still locked with hers, he swallowed and was _about_ to reply when...

"Oh God, we thought you got lost," said Nes. "But I see that your stomachs lead you to the right place. How is it?" she asked Bucky.

He simply shook his head softly, "We don't get this in Brooklyn."

Mia couldn't help but pick up on the light accent he'd seemed to recover. She put that thought aside as Nes said, "I think we need to be getting back. Meltem is on the other side looking for you both."

And with that, the three of them set off back to the house, Mia and Bucky walking distantly from each other, but very present in the thoughts that plagued their minds as they did so.

X

In the afternoon, the team had partnered off and proceeded to do their respective activities. Sam, Steve and Bucky went to the roof and got some training in, while Nat relaxed with the girls and enjoyed the only free time she'd be getting for quite a while to come.

Mia was beyond thankful that everyone took comfort in each other's company. It wasn't weird nor awkward, and she couldn't believe how easily Nes and Mel slipped into the sort of dynamic that had the 4 of them laughing for hours. She'd also never seen Nat so carefree before. She was still poised and coy in her responses, but she seemed lighter, and if Mia had to guess, she didn't have to fake her enjoyment in the least.

Dinnertime rolled around and the girls set up the kitchen table as they all tucked in, this time with Aras joining them. Nes walked him to the door when he had to leave halfway through to go for his shift, and Bucky saw him in a renewed light after knowing the things that she'd told him earlier that day. Here was a guy whose ledger couldn't have been redder, making an honest living for himself and his wife, all for the sake of doing what was right. It was comforting, in a strange way, and if he was being honest...a little encouraging.

This was the first time Bucky had joined them in a meal as well, and he was surprised by how much he enjoyed the company. There was more laughter filling the room than he'd heard in a lifetime, with food being passed around easily and smiles befalling everyone's lips as they joined in conversation.

Inevitably, his eyes stole glances at Mia as she sat in front of him, and he knew every time she'd do the same. She was still in that damned dress and her complexion glowed under the room's soft lighting. Each time she'd begin speaking, he'd find it hard to look away, and that reality was becoming more and more obvious to everyone _except_ for her. Steve nudged him a few times and smiled cheekily his way, just as he had when they were younger.

And surrounded by those people, by _her_ in that moment, felt so incredibly right.

Eventually, the night drew to a close and everyone ventured off into their own rooms. But once again, Mia tried and failed to get to sleep due to the _sheer heat_ that filled her quarters at that time of night. Being that it was rather late, she quietly popped down to the kitchen to get a few chilled lychees that Nes had picked up that day. She intended on filing back to her room and eating them in peace, but then a thought occurred to her. With her guarded hopes at bay, she pick up a few more and carried them in a bowl up the stairs, bypassing her room and going straight for the balcony instead.

She didn't know if he'd be there; frankly, it seemed rather unlikely because she'd seen him go into his room earlier. But just the idea that they might be able to spend a little more time there, away from the eyes of daylight and the pressures that came with them...she really liked the sound of that.

Barefoot and in a breezy singlet, she brushed her hair to one side as she walked onto the balcony and looked at the still breathtaking view. The harbour was busier that night, with more ships afloat and louder sounds coming from its way. She took in a deep breath and diverted her eyes to the roof, waiting with bated breath to seek out a shadow that belonged to him.

...But there wasn't one to be seen. She felt her hopes falter in an instant, and she couldn't help but feel a little stupid at having thought he'd be there at all. With a quiet sigh, she climbed over the railing anyway and decided that she'd enjoy the view all the same, carefully making her way to the same spot she'd sat on the day before and trying to console herself as best she could.

 _Who the hell said that you need boys to appreciate a pretty view, huh? That is 129% incorrect. You don't. Not even when they're 6'0 tall and have stupid blue eyes and even stupider smirks and_ —

"What are you doing?"

"Mother _flip_ —Okay, Jesus, you need to not do that," she said as she clutched her heart, "I could've fallen off the roof, Bucky," she whisper-screamed.

He'd been sitting a little higher up on the roof, behind a chimney that obscured him fully. He'd be lying if he said that he didn't come out there with the intent of her joining him in mind, but he wasn't about to admit anything. Instead, he eased his way down to sit beside her, an unperceivable grin ghosting his features.

"Why are you here?" he asked curiously.

She gulped, "You're not the only one that's allowed to stargaze, y'know," she replied. "Why are _you_ here?"

"Couldn't sleep," he said quietly.

She nodded and asked, "Too hot?"

He shook his head, "Just...don't get much of it these days."

She frowned at that, but his gaze was fixed on the ocean before them. She adjusted her position and sat comfortably along the grooves of the bricks with her bowl in hand.

"Want one?" she asked.

He looked at them appraisingly, "What are they?"

"Lychees," to which he looked confusedly, "You don't know what lychees are?"

He shrugged, "I've never had 'em."

Her eyes widened, "What do you mean you've never had them? Everyone's had them," she squinted accusatorily, "Do you have a vendetta against eating good food or something?"

He quirked a small smile, "Just...didn't grow up with it in the house."

 _..._

 _He grew up during the fricking Depression, Mia. Why are you like this?_

She fixed her singlet a little and said, "Well, try one now." She held it out to him, and waited til he took it.

"Do I...eat it like that?," he asked with concern.

She let out a laugh, "No! Just—Here," she took it back and bit into it as she did with her own ones, "You bite into it and break the shell. Then just peel all this useless stuff off and," she gave it back, " _Voila_. Lychee. Oh and be careful, there's a seed in there so...y'know, don't break your dentures," she joked. He looked at her, unamused as ever, so she elaborated, "Y'know, 'cos...you're old."

"I got it," he said. "Thank you."

She nodded and got to work opening some for herself, revelling in the sweetness that complimented its chill so well. She looked his way and asked, "Good?"

He shrugged lightly, "I'd rather that sandwich."

She sighed, " _Good God_ , me too," she ate another one, "But I love lychees. They were my mum's favourite."

He looked up at her, "Yeah?"

She met his glance, "Yeah, she'd bring home like a kilo's worth every time she went to the markets. And _no one_ in our house liked fruits, I mean, we were all such fatties when it came to food. If it wasn't drowned in oil, it wasn't good enough. But my mum, she..." she smiled softly, "...She was better than us...in every way, really."

Bucky wondered if she looked like her mum, if they spoke similarly or if they had the same birthmarks. He found himself wanting to know so much about things he wasn't privy to, and he couldn't find reason not to ask.

"What was she like?" eyes filled with genuine interest.

Mia looked at him and laughed softly, "You don't have to listen to me talk about this stuff, Buck."

"I want to," he said immediately. "I do."

She breathed in deeply and looked down at her lap. "Um...Well, she was...insanely beautiful, always kept my dad on his toes." She smiled fondly, "She was probably the kindest person I've ever known. A little _too_ kind for her own good, to be honest. Didn't have a bad thing to say about anyone, probably not even about the people that did what they did to her." She looked up ahead, "She saw goodness in everyone, always said that people can _commit_ evil, but that doesn't mean that there's only evil in them."

His heart swelled a little at those words, infiltrating the dark crevices that sought out light in his heart. Just at the thought that people existed who thought in such a way was...heart rendering. But he shouldn't have been so surprised...he was sitting next to one of them.

Mia hugged her knees to her chest, "Y'know, I think she would've loved you," she said with a smile, "She hated bullies just as much as you and Steve do."

He shook his head in spite, "I've been one of them for most of my life."

The smile wiped off of her face, she spoke with a quiet conviction, "You think too highly of yourself."

If there were a list of things that he hadn't expected to hear from her, _that_ was definitely at the top of it. "What?"

"All those years, all those people you managed to hurt...you think you were pulling those strings?" she shook her head, "Don't take credit for their wickedness, Bucky. You don't deserve it."

'Completely floored' was a phrase that came to mind when he heard her speak, when he listened to the ardour etched in her words. "But I did it."

She looked on incredulously, "You don't blame a gun for what its shooter does. Nothing good's ever come from placing guilt on the victims. There are entire countries who serve as homage to that—we were just in one." She shook her head, heart filling with passion the longer she spoke. But when she looked at eyes filled with more laments than joys, she saw the same broken man that Nes had seen earlier that day. "What you've done on this mission, since you've been back with Steve... _that_ is who you are, because you _chose_ that."

Throughout all that she'd said, the thing that frightened him the most was that she was making sense. Slowly, _arduously_ , he could feel cracks being formed in the defences his mind had constructed so long ago. Her words spoke through that, and the idea that he might not be culpable for all that had happened...it was freeing.

"They're dead because of me," he said quietly, a last-ditch attempt to disprove her theory. "They were good people."

She turned to fully face him, "Bucky, people die all the time. Good people, bad people, they're taken from us every single day. And not all of them deserve the end they're given, but it doesn't change the fact that it's happened." She swallowed, "My parents deserved to see their kids grow up to be successful people. They should've been with us on that bus, and they should've been with us every day since." Her eyes began shining, but she continued unwaveringly, "The half a million people that were killed in Syria deserved to see their families again. But they had no choice."

His mouth was open with all the disbelief in the world, and he felt his heart jolt when she lightly prodded his chest, at the part where metal met skin. "You, _all of you_ , made the right decision when it mattered. You did that in 1944, and you're doing it today." She swallowed and laid her palm flat over his chest, preparing herself for the words she would utter, "I want you to see that. I want you to believe me."

Silence engulfed them as they sat there, the space between them filled with unspoken words and thoughts they were yet to share with one another. The moment she slipped her hand away from his chest, he felt cold and all the worse for it. She swallowed, and if he had to guess, was berating herself for maybe taking it too far.

Only it _wasn't_ too far. In fact, if anything, it was the start of something he knew he'd never get enough of. She fixed herself so that she was looking at the boats, trying to calm her breathing and wiping her eyes of the water they wished to shed. He needed to see truth in what she said, and he needed to know that there were people who didn't think of him in the way that he thought of himself.

They sat like that for quite a while, enjoying the calm that was interrupted by rustling leaves and car horns blaring. Mia kept her eyes set on the ocean, a balm to her nerves as she sat unmoving until he spoke.

"Yesterday, you," he looked to his lap, "You said...'in any life'." He turned his face to hers, "What did you mean?"

She swallowed, "In Arabic, we have this proverb. _Fi ay' eumarin_. It's about things being timeless." She fumbled through ways to explain it, "So, a good deed is a good deed, whether you do it today or did it 80 years ago, it doesn't change anything." She shrugged, "In any life."

He watched her quietly, trying to make sense of it. She continued cautiously, "I feel like you and I are both living a second life, y'know. Our wars are both over, and now we're just...trying to make sense of all of this," she gestured around vaguely, "...figure out where we belong. But...we'll be okay. _You'll_ be okay."

He felt pain course through his body at that, "How can you be sure?" he asked quietly.

She looked at him as though she saw right through him, "Because there's too much goodness in you for things not to turn out right." She laughed softly, "Whether you believe me or not."

Basking in moonbeams and a summer's breeze, he felt the plates in his world shift beneath his feet. Maybe she was there as a temporary reprieve for him, but God knows his heart yearned for more. He would tell her what he'd wanted to tell her the whole day, and every day since he'd met her at the tournament, and then things would change.

He readied himself to speak, but as the universe would have it, their company of two would be disturbed _again_. They heard a _meow_ from behind them which jarred them both alert as they turned to find a white cat stroking her ear against the base of the chimney.

Mia broke into a surprised smile, "Oh my...God, she's gorgeous."

She tried to beckon it their way by laying out her hand, which the cat didn't hesitate to strut towards. Completely oblivious to the fact that cats in Turkey weren't exactly the cleanest ones around, Mia stroked her head before picking her up gently and propping her onto her lap.

"Oh my God, she's sitting on my lap," she whispered quietly. "Are you lost, sweetheart?"

Bucky watched on and felt something akin to affection warm his chest, the same way it'd done when he saw her dancing with the young girl around the bonfire. The smile didn't leave her face the whole while, and when she looked up to find him staring at her, she quirked her head a little in an invitation to pet her.

"She's not gonna bite." She paused, "I mean, I say that but...I don't really know. Even if she does," she looked up and smiled a little, "I think you can handle it."

With a small sigh, he reached his hand out and rubbed her back, feeling oddly calmer the more he did it. She purred softly and revelled in the barrage of attention she was getting, leaning into Mia's hand the more she scratched her ears.

A few moments passed before the cat began meowing a little painfully, and it was only when Mia brought a hand to its stomach that she realised why. "Oh, I think...I think she's pregnant. God, she probably hasn't eaten in days."

Bucky stopped petting her and looked at Mia as she spoke, "I think I should get her some food from the kitchen, maybe some milk as well." She gathered the cat and hugged her securely, heaving herself up and making sure to maintain her balance. She looked to Bucky and waited for him to say something to prolong these few moments they spent together, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?" she asked hopefully.

He nodded but didn't reply, which she took as her cue to leave. He watched as she turned her back to him, carefully stepping on the bricks and holding the cat like it was her own child. And then she'd go to sleep, wake up in the morning and things would go back to normal. He'd still be suspended in a state of limbo, she'd still be oblivious, and nothing would've changed.

He simply couldn't have that.

"Mia," he said as she stepped over the railing back onto the balcony.

She turned with widened eyes, "Yeah?"

He swallowed and wet his lips as he spoke softly, timidness riddled in his voice, "You look beautiful."

Her lips parted slightly and it pained him that she probably didn't hear things like that too often. She looked down at her dishevelled state, complete with her old pyjamas and a singlet that was plastered with cat fur, not knowing whether he was joking or not.

"I...ehm, are you—" she swallowed, "Are you being serious?"

He nodded, "Yeah. You're," _Man the fuck up, Barnes_ , "...You are."

Because she had a natural inclination to destroy every good moment in her life, she replied almost immediately, "So are you." She shook her head, "Not beautiful, you're—I mean, well, that's one way to put—You're a high-quality—Handsome, you are." She shut her eyes, because _holy fuck_ what was wrong with her, "Oh God, please stop me," she whispered.

And that's exactly what happened. Before Bucky could even attempt to compute a response to _whatever that was_ , the cat impatiently bit into her wrist and reminded Mia of its presence. " _Jeez Louise_ , okay, sorry cat," she brushed her hair from her face and looked to him, body abuzz with nervous energy, "I need to see the fridge—Not see it, I—" she shook her head, "I'm just gonna go."

And so without another embarrassing word exchanged between them, she hurriedly left the balcony and Bucky allowed himself a few moments to understand just what had happened. When he did, the smile that crept onto his face felt foreign, _giddy_ almost, and the feeling churning in his stomach was one that a lesser man might have hoped to hide away. But for the first time in forever, he felt alight with something that knew endless possibilities, a chance that could bring him sheer, maddening happiness.

And unbeknownst to either of them, that's exactly what was to come.

X

 _Neredeydin_? – Where have you been?

 _Biraz_ _çay ister misiniz_ – Would you like some tea?

 _Gerçekten muhteşem –_ It really is gorgeous.

 _Merhaba, amca_ – Hello, uncle


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes: Hellllooooooo everyone! Hope y'all are having the best bloody week of your life! Another chapter and a little more to a story that still has a lonnnnnnnnng way to go! I wanna give the biggest thank you to karina001 for her reviews, seriously they make me so unbelievably happy and it's the biggest spirit-lifter! :')))))) Also, Mysticserenity, you are a legenddddd and your review floored me! Thank you so so much for your kind words, and I can't wait for every one f you guys to see what's to come. Only love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 14

In Mia's 22 years of life, she'd come to know a great few things about grief. She was aware of how it affected different people at different times, how it liked to come in waves and just how terrifying it could be once you were in the midst of it.

Every time she'd endured a traumatic experience, it'd managed to impact her differently. After her parents died, she didn't speak to anyone but Zayn for 3 months. In the time that followed, she didn't dream about her parents, nor did she shed tears for them in the way that people expected her to. In her mind, the loss was temporary and their return was imminent, regardless of the fact that she had witnessed their deaths with her own eyes.

When she _did_ learn the truth of their departure, it served as a period of time in her memory that eclipsed any sadness that preceded it, or that was to come henceforth. Her nightmares stemmed from distorted memories, and the pain that pierced her bones at the thought of them was harrowing, _life-changing_ , in a way that no one from the outside could understand.

But as time went on, as all things did, she healed. She grew into her own and found a home in the friends she made for herself at school. The love that her aunt and uncle neglected to give her was found through other means, and in time, her future and the idea of what was ahead brightened blindingly.

Thankfully, those few years in Australia went by without incident, with the presence of her brother and close friends serving as a protective barrier of sorts against the harm she could've been exposed to. It wasn't until she was 21 and broke up with the man she'd expected to spend the rest of her years with that she experienced a very, _very_ different type of grief.

That had left her shattered. There wasn't a part of her that believed she'd come out of that whole, because that time, her trust had been robbed from the sacred of places within her. She endured the pain that accompanied the loss, with sadness riddling her body through the passing of every familiar restaurant and old meeting place. It wasn't just nostalgia or the desire to return to a certain time in her life; rather, it was the wish that she'd never felt such things in the first place.

But with the severance of some toxic friendships and the chance to study in D.C., she was able to go about living life in a way that she'd never done before. She thrived in the freedom she was allowed, and took comfort in knowing that her choices weren't dependent on anyone else's preferences. And though it took time, she found that the grief she feared so much had allowed her the courage to flourish.

Her run in with Bucky at the university hadn't left her all that much worse for wear. She'd pinned it down to your run-of-the-mill mugging, and her worries hadn't lasted more than a few nightmares. It was only after that ordeal that she thought she'd gotten a good grasp of her ability to deal with trauma. She'd studied about it so intensively at university and been taught the best ways to combat it, that she well and truly felt as though she was equipped for everything and anything that life had to throw her way.

So that's why when she was sat in her bed at 4:49am, covered in sweat and shivers falling from her lips, she understood immediately that this was the way in which her body would deal with the shock of her mission. She'd woken up from a nightmare that recalled the night at the Museum. The details were the same, her attackers and the old shed she fought in, only this time, her end was not so lucky.

She could've sworn that she felt a pair of hands clasp around her neck while the dream was unfolding in her head, with words struggling, _fighting_ to escape her lips, but being halted by the strength of a more capable man. She felt fear, and true terror filled her lungs as she tried to reach for the knife that she knew would be found in her holster, just as she had in real life. But this time, the man completed his mission before she could free herself from his grasp, his fingers pushing into the columns of her neck as she whispered a last cry for help to the one person she trusted to come.

 _Bucky_.

And it was as she felt the air supply to her lungs cease that she woke up with a jolt in Nes' guestroom, clawing at anything around her to centre herself, to convince her mind that it hadn't been real. She let out a heavy sigh and cradled her face in her hands, wanting to scream and cry and hide herself away from the world forever, but instead, she simply sat there.

She tried to think of different things, happy things. She filled her head with images of a carnival she'd been to when she was 15 and had her first kiss, tried to recall the scent of fairy floss and the sound of Doris Day's 'Fly Me To The Moon'. She thought back to the dinner she'd shared with her friends the night before, filled with laughter and ease that she hadn't revelled in for months. She felt her breathing even as she pictured the view from the balcony she'd shared only hours earlier with him.

 _Him._

He'd called her beautiful. He'd said her name as she was about to leave and made it a point to tell her that. She couldn't remember the last time 3 words had ever made her feel so much, couldn't understand when it had become so important for her to win his approval, but nevertheless, it had happened. Truly, it shouldn't have surprised her, because there had been a moment, though she couldn't remember when, where everything had changed. Her heart had known back then and there that what she felt towards him wasn't insignificant or forgettable, but her mind told her that he'd never find happiness in her.

What a blessing it was for her to have been proven wrong.

With a few more deep breaths, she heaved herself out of bed and sat on its edge, knowing completely that she wasn't about to get another wink's worth of sleep. She looked out her window and noticed it was a little before sunrise, which prompted her to get an early start to the day. She grabbed her toothbrush and face wash, and went about her morning rituals before heading down to the kitchen in search of some well needed sustenance.

She was scrimmaging through the cabinet they'd stocked the day before, which was why she didn't hear the footsteps that entered the kitchen.

"Hungry?"

She turned around with a surprised yelp, "Steve! Jesus—You realise you make _no noise_ when you walk, right?"

He cracked a grin, "Can't let 'em know we're coming." He looked at her hands which were currently full with a carton of orange juice, 2 slices of bread and 3 leftover pastries from the previous night, "Getting an early start?"

She let out a huff, "I couldn't sleep, so figured I might as well fuel up," she looked at his current attire, "Are you...going somewhere?"

He was wearing an uncharacteristic hoodie and Adidas sweatpants, and Mia could hardly believe that the Symbol of America was donned in anything less than the fabrics of kings. "Was headed for a run actually, it's been a while."

Just at the sound of some fresh air and a chance to sweat away any leftover depressing thoughts, she asked, "Are you going by yourself?"

He nodded, "So far, yeah."

She smiled hesitantly, "Would you...mind having some company?"

"You sure you don't wanna eat first?" he asked with a smirk.

"It'll be more fulfilling if I actually _do something_ before eating 10,000 calories." She shoved the different foods back in their respective places, "Give me 2 minutes."

It didn't take Mia long to fish out her only surviving pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved shirt before she headed down the stairs to join Steve in front of the building. She nodded her readiness, and the two of them set off down the cobblestoned path towards the port at a steady pace.

"How's your foot holding up?" asked Steve.

"I can barely feel the cut, to be honest. I got Sam to bandage it up yesterday and I took some painkillers just before I went to bed, so they just kicked in a while back."

He nodded, "How come you're up so early?"

She hesitated, not knowing whether to come out with it or mull over it vaguely, but she figured if anyone would understand, it was Steve. "I had a nightmare." He looked at her as they jogged briskly, "About the Museum."

His jaw clenched slightly, "Is this the first time?"

"Yeah, I...I guess it's just how I deal with it, the shock doesn't set in until way later." She shook her head and laughed lightly, "But it was just a dream, they can't all be good."

They elapsed into silence, covering a few hundred metres before Mia spoke again, "So, what's the plan for when you get to D.C.? Back to fighting bullies in alleyways?"

He laughed, "I wish it were that easy. There's a lot of other people out there who aren't gonna stop just 'cos SHIELD's gone."

"So, how does that work now? You gonna start your own taskforce with the Avengers? Come up with a new acronym?" She went through all the names of said Avengers in her mind in the hopes of being somewhat useful.

 _Black Widow, Ironman, Thor, Captain America, Hulk and Hawkeye..._

"BITCHH!"

Steve's eyes widened as he appraised her, "Pardon?"

She laughed and instantly regretted it due to the lack of oxygen reaching her lungs, "That's your acronym! Imagine that, 'Stay calm, ma'am, but I'm from BITCHH and we're here to save you'." She kept laughing but ended sounded a little like a dying stallion and stopped to catch her breath again.

"You okay?" he asked with a smile that showed just how _not_ tired he was.

"Cardio's never been my strong suit," she said with her hands resting on her knees.

"I doubt that's true with the kind of training you do."

She laughed, "Your faith in me is heart-warming, Cap, but I can't lie to you. It could be a lot better."

Steve led the way as she brushed herself off and resumed their self-inflicted punishment. It wasn't until a few minutes later that he asked, "What about you? What's the plan when you get home?"

"Well, there's graduation in a month and a bit, but then after that, I'm not really sure. Sam pulled a few strings and managed to get me a place where I could start a program that I'd planned, but I did some more research just before we left and sometimes the council approvals for these things can take years. So," she shrugged, "I might have to think of some other options."

Steve looked ahead thoughtfully, "What's the program about?"

"It's just a communal project for refugees that relocated to the States. A lot of them are suffering from some pretty insane disorders and don't even know it because they've never been diagnosed. So, I don't know...I guess it'd just be a cool way to spend my time."

Steve sent a small smile her way, "That sounds amazing, Mia."

She laughed, "Thanks, Cap." She tried to steer the conversation away from herself, "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"How come you live in D.C. and not Brooklyn? I mean, D.C.'s great and all but I guess I always just figured you'd be there."

They turned a corner at a small bridge that led to a deserted park, "I never really had the chance. When I woke up, I got reinstated to SHIELD and all that was run from D.C., so it just made sense."

"And now?"

He shook his head, "I really don't know."

She nudged him softly, "Hey, worst comes to worst, you can just move to Vegas and become an Elvis impersonator. They're always in demand." She was about to ask him whether he actually _knew_ who Elvis was, but he spoke first, "He's the guy with the hips, right?"

Mia laughed, "Yeah, that's the one. Nora says that priests in Sicily used to burn his records in the middle of town, called it 'Satan's Music'." She shook her head, "Man, imagine if they heard the kinda stuff that's on the radio these days."

"I don't mean any offence to your generation, but some of it's not exactly what I'd call 'music'."

"Can't fault you there, Cap. You guys were so lucky, God I'd give anything to hear Billie Holiday sing live just one time, with Coleman Hawkins on the sax and Milt Hinton on bass."

Steve looked her way, "Hawkins was Bucky's favourite." Mia smiled, "We actually snuck into one of his clubs in Jersey to hear him when we were 17."

Mia's mouth dropped open, "You did _not_ see Coleman Hawkins play live. Don't do this to me, Steve."

He laughed, "We did. The records didn't do him justice, I tell ya' that much. He was taller in person, too," he smirked, "But then again, I guess everyone seemed a lot bigger to me back then."

She quirked a brow, "Exactly how tall were you?"

"5'2."

Mia gasped, "Oh my _God_ , that's impossible." She shook her head disbelievingly, and then a thought came to mind that she blurted out before she had the chance to contain herself, "Was Bucky smaller before, too?"

She shut her eyes and cringed at how deliberate that sounded, but Steve was more than happy to oblige, "The serum he got given worked a little differently to Erskine's. But even before the war, he was tall, athletic..." he looked her way with a glint in his eye, "Didn't have too much trouble with the ladies then, either."

She could feel a blush spread across her cheeks that had nothing to do with the jogging she was doing. She kept her head down, but somehow got the feeling that he was waiting for a reply from her, which was only reaffirmed when she looked up to see him grinning knowingly. "What?" she asked with a small smile.

"He hasn't said anything to you yet, has he?"

Mia's brows furrowed, because _what the hell was this guy talking about,_ but he saved her from further confusion, "Just...give him time. I know it might not be easy but, I promise he's worth it."

She shook her head, "It's not like that, Steve. We're just—"

Steve actually stopped in his tracks and lazed his hands on his hips, shooting her the most 'who the frick-frack-diddly-stack do you think you're fooling, kid?' look she'd ever seen. She tried to combat it with a confident look of her own, but it took all of 2 seconds for that to fail and for her guise to be well and truly shattered.

She shut her eyes, "Oh God, don't look at me like that. You look like a disappointed Grandad."

He smiled, "Hey, you're bringing this on yourself. Lying's not your strong suit, and you're not exactly fooling anyone."

She threw her head back and let out a noise of exasperation, mixed with defeat and a tinge of 'fuck it'. She looked at him and shook her head at his smug grin, "Fine, alright Dr Phil," she mumbled. She began walking up the small hill at a brisk pace and muttered, "Everyone's a bloody psychic here."

"C'mon Mia, it's just me," he said with a laugh.

"That's the problem! You know him better than anyone, and this is...I don't even know what this is. But if it ends up being nothing and if he doesn't...if he doesn't feel the same, then I'm gonna be standing like an idiot with my heart in my hands and nothing to show for it."

"Hey, hey, hey," he stopped her with a hand at her elbow, "Why do you think that?"

She let out a breath, "I don't, I just...I don't wanna get my hopes too high if it's all for nothing."

Steve looked at her, understanding completely where she was coming from and wanting to show her just how wrong she was. But before he could say anything, she gave him a small smile and led him back onto the trail, jogging slowly and trying to clear her thoughts of any negativity on such a beautiful morning.

They kept at that pace for a while, neither one speaking for a few moments and Steve taking the chance to sneak a glance her way. She just seemed so unsure, and it wasn't his place to dispel her doubts, but he _could_ comfort her in the few ways he knew how.

"Y'know, I can't remember a dame that met him and didn't like him when we were younger. They'd all look at him like he was John Gilbert or something. They knew he had everything going for him, came from a wealthy family, best player on the team, drove a nice car...every girl's poster boy."

Mia listened keenly as he continued, "Don't get me wrong, he got a kick out of it too. Took 'em dancing, clubs, plays, got to know a few of them really well. I was around for every girlfriend and fling he had, so I got to know how things worked pretty quickly, y'know?"

Mia nodded slightly, their jogging having slowed down to a walk now. Steve had his hands in his pockets and his eyes glued to his feet when he said, "Those people wanted him for everything that he had, a whole bunch of money and his popularity." He glanced her way, "He has none of that now and you look at him like he's everything you've ever wanted."

Her lips parted and she was at a bit of a loss as to what to say. She simply swallowed and shook her head, trying to dismiss his theory, but he continued, "And trust me, I've known him for a hundred years," they shared a laugh, "And he's never looked at anyone the way he looks at you."

She floundered for words, any way in which she could find a flaw in what he was saying. But when she listened, _really_ listened to his words, she couldn't find it in her to respond. "I don't...Wow, I—"

"Like I said, just give him some time. You might not see it but he's getting better every day. I don't think he hears himself when he starts sounding like the old him, but it's happening. And all I know is, it's only gotten better since you came into his life," he said.

Mia felt her face flush, "You've done more for him than anyone."

He laughed, "Maybe...but I'm not a broad, and everything else might've changed, but when it comes to women, he's still the same guy." He bit his tongue and rehashed, "Not that I think you're just there for his gratification, it's—Women aren't just pieces of meat, they're strong—"

Mia waved her hand, "If there's anyone you don't need to be politically correct in front of, it's me Steve." She laughed, "I know what you mean, though. And...I kinda see where you're coming from. He's been...I don't know...a little different lately. Maybe a little more open," she shook her head, "Or maybe I'm just seeing things 'cos my overly active imagination has nothing better to do."

"No, I think you're right. And hey," he shrugged, "Maybe, y'know, help him out a little. It might do him good if you lead him a bit, take some of the pressure off."

Her eyes widened, "You mean, like...flirting?" she groaned, "God, you don't want me to do that. He'll end up filing a restraining order against me."

He shook his head, "Don't underestimate yourself. He's not that complicated, just..." he struggled to find words that were both polite and direct, "I don't know, you're a girl, just...do what girls do, y'know?"

Mia stopped in her tracks to let out a series of muffled giggles into the palms of her hands. Steve looked back and asked with a laugh, "What?"

"I just can't believe that this is my life," she said, still laughing. "I'm learning seduction techniques from Captain America in a Turkish town on a morning run, I'm," she didn't even try to stifle the laugh that left her lips, "What is even happening?"

Steve joined in and couldn't help but marvel at the absurdity of everything as well. It wasn't the most conventional of stories, but he was glad she was a part of it. In such a short time, she'd become such a source of happiness and innocence in their lives, and regardless of his initial reservations about bringing her along, there really was no one else that he'd rather by his team's side.

X

When Mia and Steve got back to the house at 6:30, they were surprised to find everyone awake and ready to start the day. Nat was in the kitchen helping Nes make enough breakfast to feed a small army (which was possibly the most homely scene Mia had ever witnessed from the Widow), Sam was sat seriously on the table trying to pass Level 9 of Galactica, but Mel and Bucky were nowhere to be seen.

Gratefully taking the time to be rid of her sweaty apparel, Mia rushed upstairs, downed a few more painkillers and headed to the bathroom. The fresh air really had served as the best distraction for her nerves, and it'd also been the first time she'd gotten to speak so frankly with Steve. She'd wheezed and staggered her way through it, but she'd enjoyed every minute of it.

She left the bathroom and headed for her own quarters to pick out a dress she could wear from her impromptu shopping trip the day before. When she found the one she wanted, she got to work fixing up her hair and made a conscious decision to put a bit more time into herself that day. She still had a new tube of mascara, some eyeliner and a sheer lip gloss somewhere in her bag, and if there was ever a time to make that effort, it was now.

Just as Mia finished up, she heard a soft knock on the door followed by Mel's voice, "Mia, you mind if I come in?"

Mia got up from in front of the small mirror and walked to unlock the door, met with the sight of Mel looking gorgeous as ever in the blue dress she'd hesitated to buy the day before. "Look at you, God _damn_ ," Mia sang. "If you came here to thank me for my styling skills, I'd prefer cash over compliments."

"I'm not paying you," Mel deadpanned.

"...I will accept food as a substitute payment."

Mel rolled her eyes, "Okay, so my aunt woke up a few hours ago and she hasn't relapsed since. It might be a good day and if we're lucky, we'll get a few more hours in before she 'starts over'. And she wants to see you, so if you wouldn't mind...?"

Mia smiled, "Oh man, of course. Just lemme grab my shoes."

Mia followed Mel up the stairs to the floor on which her aunt stayed. When Mia had first learnt about Mel's aunt, Nur _teyze_ , she remembered hoping that no one else would ever suffer from a pain as cruel as forgetting the people you loved. Sure, some days were better than others, but Dementia didn't accommodate the conveniences of its victims. Instead, Mel had just gotten used to the idea that her aunt, the closest person to her besides her parents, was going to look at a face she'd seen a thousand times before, and not know who it belonged to.

For some reason, she imagined Mel's aunt to be an ailing old woman who spent her days lying idly on a hospital-type bed, with no traces of happiness to be found on her features. That's why her heart skipped a beat when they neared the door and she heard the sound of laughter pouring from the other side, one rather feminine and the other sort of... _Bucky-like_?

"Have you guys got room for another visitor?" asked Mel as she pushed the door open.

Mia's eyes immediately went to the two occupants in the spacious room, both seated near a balcony with the sun streaming in generously through the curtains. Bucky was sat with his arms crossed on the small table in front him, but the moment he saw Mia make her way over, he got up from his chair in a gesture of respect that made it seem as though he'd been doing it his whole life.

Her eyes widened because _wow people in this generation don't do things like that_ , and she took a second to wave her hand gently in a motion for him to sit back down, but was interrupted by the sound of a violent cough filling the room.

"You okay, _teyze_? Here," Mel took the cigarette that was currently in her aunt's hand and put it out on the ashtray, "I think a whole pack is more than enough before lunch, don't you?"

Mia appraised the woman seated in front of her, and immediately saw the resemblance between her and Mel. At first glance, it was undeniable that she was absolutely gorgeous, with black hair that was secured in a low bun and eyes that were strikingly similar to Mel's. She was slender and petite, with a smile curled on her lips that could've fooled anyone into believing she was the healthiest woman in the room.

She got up and out of her seat and stepped towards Mia to engulf her in a kiss-on-either-cheek hug that was customary among the people of Turkey. She held onto both of Mia's hands as she looked her over, "Miriya?"

She smiled and nodded, "How are you, _teyze_?"

She leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, "I'll be better when the old lady stops worrying about me so much."

Mel popped her head out of the storage cupboard she was in, "I heard that!"

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly, "See what I mean?" she rubbed at Mia's elbow, "Sit down, darling."

Bucky moved out of the way when Mia insisted, "Buck, sit. I'm fine standing."

He gave her the sort of look that sent at least 34 jolts of electricity down her spine as she acquiesced, trying to seem nonchalant as Mel's aunt began a conversation with her. "Miriya, Miriya," she lit up another cigarette, "I have heard many things about you, darling. How has your visit been so far?"

"It's been amazing, _teyze_. Your niece is a very good host," she smiled. "And Nesibe and Aras have been so kind to let us stay here."

She grinned and replied in her charmingly accented English, "How do you know Meltem?"

"We met each other through uni last year."

She pointed her finger at her cheekily, "But you are not from America?"

"No, I'm from Australia, actually."

She tapped the ashes from her cigarette, "Ah, and before that?"

"Aleppo, _teyze_."

Her smile widened in recognition, "From the neighbourhood then, eh?"

She laughed, "I sure am."

Bucky was leaning against the clay entrance of the balcony, listening with a keen ear as their conversation continued. He'd woken up that morning and ran into Mel while she was balancing 2 heavy trays of breakfast up the stairs. He'd gone to help her, and ended up being introduced to her aunt in the process, which he'd thought would last a few minutes and then he'd be on his merry way.

But things hadn't exactly gone to plan.

He'd known from before that Mel's aunt was suffering from Dementia, but there wasn't much else that he was privy to. Similar to Mia, he'd expected her to be an old woman who had little to no life left in her, but when he'd been met with a middle-aged woman that insisted he join her for breakfast, he found himself listening to her stories for more than 2 hours with an interest that he hadn't expected to have.

She'd been a traveller. She'd studied at an English Convent school in Northern Turkey and bolted at the first chance she'd gotten once she graduated. She told Bucky about her years in Spain, her dry spell in Cannes and the time she'd gotten lost for 2 weeks in Latvia. He found himself in awe of the fact that her mind wasn't capable of retaining information for longer than 24 hours, but some memories had been embedded so deeply that she still remembered the colour of the raincoat she'd worn throughout '88 and the sound her car made when it backfired in Belfast.

In the few hours that he'd spoken to her, a feeling of hope blossomed in the pit of his stomach. Slowly but surely, his memories were coming back to him. Her process was reversed with his, and eventually, time would rob her of familiar faces and names. But come hell or high water, there would be a day where he got it all back.

And he couldn't wait.

"He made me laugh very much," said Nur as she pointed to Bucky.

Mia grinned, "Really?"

She nodded, "How did you two meet?"

Mia's face dropped. "Uh, well...we...actually, funny story...we—"

Bucky chimed in before her brilliant lying abilities were put on display again, "We met at her university."

Mia looked back at him and nodded, "Yes. Yes, we did."

"In a class?" she asked, apparently quite interested.

Mia simply turned to Bucky and hoped he understand to tell the story instead of her. He brushed a hand through his hair as he replied, "In the car park, actually." He looked at Mia, "After class on a Friday night."

Mia's lips parted because that was _actually_ when they met, and she couldn't believe that he'd remembered as much as he did. Nur looked on at the two of them as though she was expecting a story, interest riddled on her face. Mia couldn't contain the giggle that left her lips when he spoke, "We tried to kill each other the first time we met."

"This is how all great love stories begin," smiled Nur. Mia would've made an effort to correct her misconception about their 'love story' but she was already onto the next question, "And then you decided to take a holiday together?"

Bucky shook his head, "We didn't see each other for a while, but then we met at her fighting tournament and," his eyes glazed over to Mia, "I convinced her to come on a holiday with me and my friends."

Mia let out a real laugh at that and couldn't help but add, "It's been a little too tiring for this to be classified as a holiday, to be honest."

Nur leaned in coyly, "He wouldn't be doing his job right if you still had energy left, darling."

She smiled in reply, not quite understanding what that meant until—

Oh.

 _Oh._

"Oh." She shook her head a little, "No, he's—"

 _How the frick-frack-pancake-stack do I even reply to that?_

She missed the way that Bucky's eyes widened slightly and he threatened to choke on thin air, but Mel, being the Angel that she was, saved them just in time, "Mia, your brother's on the phone."

"Yes!" she cleared her throat, "I mean, I'll take that, okay, I'll be back," and with that, she grabbed the phone from Mel's hand and jogged out of the room at the fastest pace she could.

She put her phone to her ear and slumped against the stair railings, "Hello?"

" _Swasdi_."

She put a hand on her face, "You won't understand what I mean but you just saved me, like big time."

"Care to explain?" he asked, clearly eating something.

"Not really," she furrowed her brows, "What are you eating?"

"Dorito's came out with a new flavour, it's called Cool Ranch." He groaned, "Lemme tell you,'better than sex' is an understatement."

She shut her eyes in disgust, "I need you to never repeat anything like that ever again. Like ever," she sighed, "And Cool Ranch has been around forever. They're the only type of Dorito's I've been getting in America."

"You mean...they've existed this whole time, and you didn't tell me about them?"

"Si, senor."

"...See, this is why I have my doubts about your loyalty. You do these things, keep secrets from me and then you still expect me to trust you. Where is the compromise, Mia?!"

She pinched the bridge of her nose, "Are you sure you weren't born a woman? Just be honest, I won't judge."

"Whatever. What's been happening?"

"Nothing, it's 8:30 here, just got back from a run a while ago."

"Why are you awake so early? This is highly suspicious behaviour."

She scoffed, "Why is it so impossible for people to believe that I can get up early some days?"

"...Do you even know yourself? You threw your charger at me for waking you up for training in Year 11. _While the phone was still attached_."

She winced, "Right, point taken." She finally made her way up to the same floor she'd taken the call on yesterday as she spoke, "So, how's _khaala_ and _khaalu_? Have you seen them lately?"

"Yeah, I went over to their place last night. She wasn't feeling too well."

Mia's brows furrowed in concern, "What happened? Is she okay?"

"Just a fever, she wouldn't let me help though," he paused, "You know how she is."

Mia shut her eyes, "Yeah, I know. And _khaalu_?"

"He's in Singapore right now, has a few big deals to close before he comes back."

"He's been taking a lot of trips lately. How the hell is she coping on her own?"

" _Khaala_ might not be a lot of things, but she's one of the strongest people ever. She can hold her own." He took another loud bite as he said loudly, "Oh, so I almost forgot to tell you the reason I called."

"Please say you're gay, please say you're gay, please say you're gay," she whispered into the phone.

"Not for as long as people like Scarlett Johansson exist, I'm not," he said. "But someone came to the gym today."

"I'm glad that business is doing well," she smart-assed.

"You wanna guess who it was?"

"Matt Damon?"

"Think a little more ethnic," he hinted. "C'mon Mia, this is the easiest guess."

"I don't know...Rami Malek?"

He groaned, "Why would Rami Ma—Forget it, it was Vas. He just left an hour ago."

And just like that, Mia felt her entire brain go numb at the sound of a name she hoped never to hear again. _Vasily Kosta_. A few years ago, she would've felt nothing but butterflies and excitement at the very thought of him, but now...there was only an uneasy pit forming in her stomach, and she couldn't think of how to get rid of it.

"You there, Mia?"

"Why was he at the gym when he stopped training there?" she asked. "Did you talk to him?"

"Yeah, that's why he came. Said he was going to the States for some culinary convention, wanted to meet with you."

Her eyes widened, "Zayn, _please_ don't tell me you told him where I am."

"Jesus, of course not. He already knew you were in D.C., he just asked how you were doing." He paused and continued cautiously, "Look, I know you don't wanna tell me what happened between you two, but for what it's worth, he seemed like he really wanted to meet you."

"I could go the rest of my life not seeing him and it wouldn't be enough," she said plainly.

"C'mon Mia, it's almost been a year now, and he's not a bad guy. In the 5 years that I've known him, he's done nothing but show us respect."

She scoffed, "He wouldn't know what respect was if it hit him in the face with a baseball bat," she shut her eyes, "I'm not getting back with him, Zayn. I know you two were close but...he's not worth it."

He let out a breath, "I know, I know. Can you at least tell me what happened, then? C'mon, I've waited long enough."

She let out a breath, "It's nothing, I just don't need him in my life."

"You always said it was because he was out of town and stuff, y'know, that it just wasn't practical."

Mia shook her head, because no matter how much she wanted to tell her brother the truth, she simply couldn't. Vas had been Zayn's friend long before he got into a relationship with Mia. He'd been over to their house and knew Mia's aunt and uncle very well, not to mention, had garnered an immense amount of respect from their part. He'd made a place for himself in everyone's lives, without a single fault next to his name in the eyes of all the people that were close to her. And though her heart yearned to leave his reputation in tatters and expose him for the misery he'd brought upon her, she just couldn't do it.

For one, it'd probably result in Zayn being taken away in handcuffs for the first degree murder of his little sister's ex-boyfriend, and beyond that, she knew that it wouldn't serve as any benefit to him besides the loss of another friend. She knew Zayn and Vas were still somewhat close, and she didn't have the heart to let her ex serve as just another person that couldn't be trusted in his eyes.

"Mia?"

"I'm here," she shook her head, "Can we talk about something else, _yar_? How's work going? Are Anna and Jade still there?"

"Actually, you won't believe the shit that went down last week. Okay, so..."

Mia listened to her brother talk for the next 20 minutes without really taking in what he was saying. Her mind had drifted, but she told herself that this wasn't the time to ponder heartaches from her past. She needed to be present with those around her and appreciate the moments she spent with them.

And so she did.

X

When 5 o'clock came around, Sam, Steve and Bucky were sprawled out on various pieces of furniture in the living room, with their heads in their hands, and regret weighing heavily on their hearts.

"I don't know why I went for the 4th serving, man. I wasn't even hungry," said Sam groggily.

"I haven't eaten that much since my 12th birthday party," said Steve with his eyes closed.

Bucky had a hand clutched over his eyes as he simply added, "I'm gonna die."

Mia, Nat, Mel and Nes had spent lunch with Nur in her dining room upstairs, which had proved to be a delight in itself. The stories they shared were ludicrous and completely unbecoming of the refined young ladies that they were supposed to be, but the atmosphere that filled the room had been intoxicating in the best of ways.

When the girls gathered up all the dishes and took them back downstairs, Nes was the first to inspect just how much the boys had eaten. "Did you enjoy it?"

All three of them looked up at her with all the energy they had left. "I can't breathe." Sam shook his head, "It was amazing, but there's no room left to breathe."

Nes quirked a brow, "But you hardly ate anything."

All three of them let their mouths drop open in pure horror, "We...we didn't... _eat_?" Sam shook himself a little, "We had 5 servings, girl."

"But the pots are not even half empty."

"Nes," said Steve, trying hard not to vomit as the words came out, "We ate. It was...incredible. Really."

She nodded, " _Bughy_?"

He nodded his head, "Best food I've had in years."

She grinned widely, because _apparently_ that's just what she wanted to hear. "I'm glad you liked it, but I am not the person you should be praising."

All three of them looked at each other in confusion as she called out for Mia. She joined them in the living room and couldn't help but laugh at their sickly faces, "What the hell happened to you guys?"

Bucky looked up at her, eyes appraising her disbelievingly, "You...made that?"

She stifled a grin and nodded, to which Sam blinked slowly and asked, " _All_ of it?"

She laughed, "You think you can grow up in an Arab household and _not_ know how to cook? That's treason."

Steve shook his head, "You never told us you could cook."

"I just hadn't gotten the time to actually _make_ something for you guys 'til now." She smiled, "But I'm glad you liked it."

They all shared a few moments of silence as they digested the information (and their chicken paella). "Yeah so, I'm moving in with her, I'm just putting that out there," said Sam as he pointed to Mia.

"If it's not a hassle, I'd wanna partake in that arrangement," said Steve seriously.

Genuine laughter fell from her lips until she looked Bucky's way and her eyes locked with his. He swallowed before saying softly, "I'll take the couch."

Nes _tsk'd tsk'd_ , "What will be in it for her?"

Sam scoffed, "She'll get three young, handsome men to protect her from any and all threats, that's what. Free of charge, that's a bargain, girl."

Mia quirked a brow, "Protection from what? My landlord?"

"Hey, dudes who own buildings in D.C. can be a little grabby."

Mia tilted her head to one side, "She's a 55 year old woman."

"...You can't trust women too much these days either."

Nat waltzed into the room and interrupted their conversation, "You ready?" she asked Mia.

She held up a finger, "Just give me 2 minutes, I'll meet you up there," and with that, Mia hurried her way towards the stairs and left the company of her fellow teammates.

"What are you doing?" asked Steve.

Nat smirked, "She's more eager to fight than most agents I've met. She wanted to train with me, so I figured we might as well start here."

"But she still has a busted foot," added Sam.

She scoffed, "She's not a pussy, Wilson. She's better than you think."

He lazed back into the sofa, "Oh, I don't doubt that." He smiled, "Mind if we watch?"

Both Steve and Bucky looked to Nat like kids would look pleadingly at their mum, hoping she'd say yes so that they'd get a temporary distraction from the boulder that rested in each of their stomachs. "She might not want an audience."

Sam scoffed, "She fought in front of 2,000 people 3 weeks ago. She'll be fine."

"Yeah, but she didn't know _he_ was watching," she said pointing at Bucky. "You'll distract her."

All eyes went to him and waited for a response. But in the end, he simply repeated Nat's words back to her, "She's better than you think."

She quirked a grin, "Then get your asses up there."

Meanwhile, Mia was busy rummaging through her bag trying to find a pair of tights and a top that would be suitable for sparring. Eventually, she found her last clean singlet to go over her snug sports bra, but she still didn't have any luck finding her bottoms. She did, however, continue to come across a pair of compression shorts that she liked to wear under her Muay Thai boxers, but unfortunately, their shape didn't leave much to one's imagination.

Taking comfort in the fact that it would only be her, Nat and Mel during the impromptu training session, she slid on the skin-tight shorts and singlet. In the fear that she might run into one of the boys on her way up (only Bucky, really), she took a shawl and wrapped it around her waist before putting her hair into a high pony and fixing her foot's bandage a little. With one last glance at the mirror, she headed up the stairs as quickly as she could, not prepared for what was awaiting her.

When she neared the rooftop's entry, she untied the shawl from herself and slung it over her shoulder while she wrapped her sparring straps onto both hands. Once she was done, she flung the door open, only to be met with 5 wide eyes all focused on her under the setting sun.

 _What._

 _The._

 _Actual._

 _Fuck._

"Took you long enough," said Nat, clad in her own pair of short shorts and a fancy sports bra that _really shouldn't_ have looked that good on her, considering she'd had a four-course meal an hour and a half earlier. She was stretching one arm behind her back and beckoned Mia towards the makeshift wrestling mat Steve had constructed a day prior, made up of old, thin mattresses that he'd dug out from Nes' attic.

She kept her gaze lowered for fear of erupting into an all-consuming blaze if she chanced a look at everyone else, namely _him_. That's why she didn't notice how his mouth stayed agape for a little while longer than everyone else's, and his eyes levelled her body in a way he'd never done to any other woman in memory.

He let his sights drag along the curves of her legs, taking in the tinge of bronze that coated her thick thighs and the way they slimmed the further down he trailed. Due to the sheer _tightness_ of her shorts, he really couldn't help the fact that his eyes drifted to a part of her that he'd _pointedly_ tried to avoid thus far, which was when he reverted his vision at the speed of lightning to any direction but _there_.

Apparently he wasn't the only one thinking along those lines, because Steve leaned in and said, "You don't get that in '20s Brooklyn."

He hadn't really expected Bucky to reply, which is why he was sent to a whole other level of shocked when he actually heard him utter softly, "The future ain't so bad."

This time, Steve's mouth fell open as he watched his friend look back at him, seemingly as shocked as he was that he'd actually _said_ something like that. It took a few moments, but the ghost of a smirk curled on his lips and his eyes filled with the kind of emotion that Steve hadn't seen from him in 70 years. They shared a look, and Steve was only further convinced that whatever the hell this girl was doing was _definitely_ working.

"Well, look at you, Princess Jasmine," smirked Sam. "I see you got the thunder thighs on show this fine evening."

She brushed him off, "What are you guys doing here?" She shook her head, "This was supposed to just be with Nat, not the entire Brady Bunch."

"What, so Mel's allowed to watch, but we can't? Don't you think that's a little sexist?"

"I don't know about that," said Mel with a mouthful of crackers, "but I do know what's the _sexiest_." She then proceeded to laugh at her heinous excuse of a joke for the next few moments, while Mia and Sam looked on in horror. "I'm...gimme a second," she swallowed, "because she's—She's wearing a _sexy_ pair of shorts. You get it, _sexist_ and _sexiest_. They sound similar."

Sam blinked slowly, "There's gotta be a law on deportation about this."

"Hey, that's not cool," Mel complained.

"I agree with Sam. You're a disgrace, Mel."

Before she could verbalise just how hurt she was, Nat called Mia over to the mat while Sam, Mel, Bucky and Steve took seats at the adjacent pergola.

"Alright, so we'll start off with some shadow sparring. You ready?"

Mia nodded but then immediately added, "I just wanna state for the record, I really wish you guys weren't watching," she said to her unsuspecting spectators. "Not because I don't love y'all, but I'm gonna mess up 10 times more than I was going to before."

Most of them let out groans of disapproval and encouragement in unison, with Sam clapping, Mel cupping her hands around her mouth to shout something out, Steve saying something illegibly and Bucky simply looking at her as though he saw right through her. She ran a hand through her hair and ended up looking his way, which is when he gave her a deliberate nod of the head, a silent assurance that she could do this. In fact, she could do anything she damn well pleased.

With a sigh and her stomach alight with flutters, she resigned to her fate and faced Nat as the group hollered behind her. Nat smirked and began dancing around the mat languidly, throwing easy punches and blocking whichever counters Mia sent her way.

They stuck to upper body attacks for a few minutes, breaking in their muscles after not having trained for more than 2 weeks now. It was familiar, and Mia soon fell into the sort of rhythm she was most comfortable in, all but forgetting the fact that there were people sitting in her midst that she _really_ didn't want to embarrass herself in front of.

After a while, they began incorporating kicks into the sparring, this time making contact with skin and allowing their efforts to take on a more heated edge. Mia was sweating like a hippo during mating season within 10 minutes, while Nat looked as though she'd made some lucrative deal with her sweat glands to prevent her from ever doing such a thing.

"Alright, how about we get started?" asked Nat.

Mia came to a halt, "Okay."

"First thing you need to understand, Sambo isn't just wrestling. You've gotta broaden your understanding of it. We start off with rolling..."

As Nat went about explaining the Soviet art-form she'd grown up with, Mel sat next to Sam and voiced her wandering thoughts, "Okay, but what I don't get is how Cap knew to come to you when the whole thing with SHIELD was happening."

He lazed back on the sofa, "I help people, girl. That's what I do."

She blinked and turned to Steve, "But, how did you know you could trust him?"

He shrugged lightly, "We didn't really have another choice."

Sam's face fell, "Hey man, don't make it sound like that," he turned to Mel, "He means there wasn't a _better_ choice."

She shook her head as she laughed, "Probably not the best decision in hindsight, Cap."

He let out a huff, "Can't disagree."

Bucky had been vaguely listening to the conversation taking place amongst his peers, because his eyes were too busy taking in every movement and reaction that he could of the girl gliding on her feet in front of him. In his time with Hydra, he'd taught dozens of hand-picked students the art of defence, and he'd come to understand that there was a different element that came with teaching than simply learning. He could look at a fight sequence and detect which move would lose someone the battle, or orchestrate a pattern of movements that would disarm an opponent in needlessly fast time. It was as he watched the movements of her hands sync with the balance of her legs that he felt years worth of experience and knowledge resurface with fervour, allowing him to come to his own conclusions.

She had raw abilities, seemingly genetic if he had to guess. She was a pragmatist in the way she fought, and he'd known that the day they'd met under a dimly lit lamppost under _very_ different circumstances. Her body had become so accustomed to absorbing strikes that it allowed her more time to assess the most opportune counterattack, as opposed to expensing energy on recovering from a blow. She was graceful too, in a way that he hadn't seen since the young women he'd been tasked to train all those years ago for an entirely different purpose.

He noticed a light of determination dance behind her eyes as she listened to Nat's instructions and her advices. She nodded and practiced and completely disregarded the world around her while she took to the task at hand, and if he had to describe her motions in a word, it was mesmerizing.

"Okay, so we'll do it for real this time. Get in your stance."

Mia adjusted her feet and readied her hands in front of her as Nat leapt her way, one knee nearing her chest and her elbow aimed at Mia's temple. She reacted immediately, knocking away at her arm and grasping her thigh so she could use Nat's own body weight to propel her backwards, letting both of them fall to the mat, with Mia's grip firmly around Nat.

"Good. Again," Nat rose gracefully, "And this time, don't hold back."

They repeated the same manoeuvre a few times before Nat changed it up a bit. They tried out a few different steps, and Mia surprised even herself with just how naturally it seemed to come to her. The group would shout out words of praise when she'd get it right, and applauds of encouragement when she wouldn't. Bucky stayed outwardly silent, but felt his heart swell with something akin to pride every time she nailed a move or perfected a counter.

His quiet approach continued only until a point during the session that Mia was particularly stuck on. After going through 4 different manoeuvres seamlessly, she found herself unable to slither quick enough under Nat's thighs to misbalance her and send her to her back. When she failed at her fifth attempt, Bucky could see visible aggravation spread across her features, wanting desperately to make Nat proud and to use the opportunity as best she could.

Without thinking for too long, Bucky got up from his seat and ran a hand through his hair as he neared Nat and Mia. By this time, they'd been going at it for half an hour without fail, and although Nat was coping swimmingly, Mia was having a little bit more trouble in concentrating long enough to get it right.

Her eyes widened as she watched him walk towards them, heart skipped a beat when he slightly pulled up the sleeves on his red Henley as though he was about to demonstrate something himself. He came to a halt at the edge of the mat and shrugged his shoes off, taking her by surprise when his face looked determined and...a little authoritative.

"Might as well learn from the master himself," teased Nat.

Mia gulped a little louder than she meant to as he stepped right up to her and looked to her feet. "Get on your knees."

 _I'm..._

 _I'm sorry..._

 _...W.H.A.T.?_

"What?" she squeaked.

He looked at her plainly, "Get on your knees."

Mia felt every last one of her 206 bones freeze at the sound of his command, and her brain scrambled for any piece of information that might indicate just _what the fuck_ was going on. She looked helplessly to Nat for some guidance, but she simply shrugged and wore a knowing smirk on her face that wasn't reassuring in the least. She looked past his shoulder at Steve, Sam and Mel, only to see them watching keenly and having a discussion of their own.

She looked at him without a semblance of surety in her eyes one last time, but all he did was nod slightly and wait for her to carry out his asking. With a blush the colour of a pink Starburst clouding her cheeks, she walked a few steps back and fell to her knees slowly.

Almost as soon as she hit the ground, he waved his uncovered hand to beckon her back up again. Confused but desperate to know what this would accomplish, she rose up and waited for his next instruction.

"Again."

This time, she dropped without as much hesitation, looking at him and watching for his reaction. A third time, he signalled for her to stand only to return to the floor within seconds, and when he seemed to be responding better the quicker she did it, she began to get an inkling of an idea as to what he wanted from her.

She did it 5 times before he signed for her to stop, and then he stepped in close enough to count the beads of sweat that slid down the columns of her neck. He stared resolutely at her eyes and cleared all irrelevant thoughts to the back of his mind before he spoke, "You're not gonna stop anyone if it takes you that long to get to the floor."

He took a step back and gestured for Nat to stand in front of him, and Mia was sure that she'd never seen him in such an element before. His face was serious as stone, and his demeanour made it seem as though he'd been in the position of teacher countless times before. It intrigued her, but she saved her unanswered questions for a later time because at that moment, she was about to learn from the man himself.

Nat came to a halt in front of him and all it took was the nod of his head for her to demonstrate the sequence on him. She didn't so much drop to her knees as she did slide to the floor with her right thigh propping her hips up enough for her arm to twist around his calf, holding him firmly in a lock that would've sent any other man to the ground within an instant. Mia watched in awe as she did it once more, and understood almost immediately where she'd gone wrong.

"Don't wait. Just react," he said. With a nod, she walked towards Nat and stood in her default position, waiting for his cue. She inhaled deeply and replayed the step in the way Nat had done it in her mind, knowing she might not be able to mimic the grace with which she did it, but hoping that it'd be effective nonetheless.

"Go."

And with that, she copied her mentor to the best of her abilities, garnering _a lot_ more success than the last few times she'd tried it, but still, it wasn't perfect. She got back up and waited for his instruction, repeating the manoeuvre 3 more times and getting better with each try.

"I don't know how she's actually functioning right now," said Mel as she watched on.

Sam scoffed, "She's tryna play it cool, but she won't get the move right. Not while he's around."

"I don't know about that, Mia's one of the most competitive people I know. She'll keep trying 'til she gets it." Sam clicked his tongue in disagreement, to which Mel added, "I'm serious! Have you ever seen Mulan? You know the part where she spends the whole night trying to climb the pole to get the arrow?"

Before Sam could answer, Steve added excitedly, "I do!" He quietened at their combined looks, "I...I got that...reference."

"You've seen Mulan?" asked Mel in amazement.

He smiled sheepishly, "Heard it was about someone small who couldn't get into the army. Guess it sorta sounded familiar."

Mel's eyes widened. "Oh my God." She shook her head, "You're Ping."

Sam quirked his brow because _ain't no brother ever seen no 'Mulan'_ , but Steve let out a laugh, "Thank...you?"

Mel smiled while Sam asked, "Who the fuck is Ping? And where did Mulan even come from?"

"Okay, never mind that, but all I'm saying is, she's gonna get this move right." She muttered softly, "No matter what the Chinese Army thinks of her."

Sam shook his head, "What's she gonna do while he's touchin' all on her thigh? Look at her," they all looked Mia and Bucky's way, "You ever seen that shade of red on a face before? 'Cos I haven't."

True to his word, Bucky had briefly repositioned Mia's leg while she was lying on the floor, about to commence the final part of the move. One could argue that the lack of blood reaching her brain was a result of fatigue under the looming sun, but the fact that he wasn't acting _at all_ like his usual self in the way he was orchestrating the sequence didn't help.

Not in the least.

"Alright hotshot, I'll bet you $50 that she'll get it right in the next three attempts," said Mel confidently.

He threw his head back and laughed, "$50?! How about we make it an even $100?"

She smirked, "You're on."

They watched intently as Mia repeated the move, almost knocking Nat over on her next go but failing at the last moment. Sam grinned and was confident as ever that he'd be walking away $100 richer, but Mel kept her faith. Mia got back up and rolled out her shoulder in preparation for another go, before diving back underneath Nat's thighs and coiling herself around her leg the way Bucky had shown her. She thought she might've nailed it that time, but Nat sprung free of her grasp during a moment of weakness, and the frustration on Mia's face indicated just how much she hated screwing up.

Sam leaned in close to Mel, "Look, I'd feel bad taking money from a school girl."

She smiled, "That's not nearly as bad as me taking money from your pension fund."

Sam stared back, clearly not impressed, "I'm 33."

"Alexander the Great died at 33."

"Well, Alexander was a dumbass. I'll give you one chance to back out."

Mel shook her head, "Nope. You should have more faith in her."

He scoffed, "I _do_ have faith in her. What I don't have faith in are her raging hormones. If he wasn't around, she'd get it right in 2 go's. But she's all flustered and...horned up."

Mel blinked slowly, "Did you just say 'horned up'?"

"I said what I said, girl," he defended.

They looked on as Mia readied herself once more, her entire focus solely on getting this move right and succeeding in front of two people who really knew what they were doing. She limbered up her legs and looked to Bucky, finding only belief written in his eyes as he spoke earnestly, "You got this."

And that was it. That was all she needed for her nerves to calm and her mind to quieten in the wake of her umpteenth attempt. She let out a deep breath and nodded slightly, assuming the position and finding it in herself to do the sequence perfectly from start to finish. She reacted at the right time, adjusted her hips where she needed to and adapted a vice-like grip around Nat's calf as she twisted herself around enough to send her to the mat, this time, for good.

She heard Steve and Mel cheer from the pergola as she lay still snugly under Nat's legs, a feeling of contentment washing over her senses. A smile spread across her face, her previously rattled demeanour all but gone and savouring the sweet taste of accomplishment as her opponent heaved herself off of her.

"Not bad, rookie," smiled Nat as she helped her up.

She shook her head, "It took me about 79 times to get it right."

"Most people never do," she replied. Bucky was still standing nearby and looked as though he was about to say something, but as fate would have it, he was cut off by the sound of Steve's voice.

"Hey, I'm getting an incoming from Lenny."

The entire group looked his way and joined him at the pergola, Mia a little confused at how happy Mel seemed as she spoke softly to a sour-faced Sam. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and leaned on the back of the sofa as Steve spoke into the phone he carried.

"Where is that?" he asked.

Lenny, their pilot, replied into the receiver to which Steve said, "We can check it out now. Send me the coordinates. Okay."

He hung up the phone and looked to Nat, "He said Jordanian Forces should let him off by tomorrow night. He wants us to go check out the airstrip he'll land on, though, make sure it's safe to use."

Nat nodded, "How far is it from here?"

"An hour and a half."

Sam whistled lowly, "There isn't anywhere closer?"

"He said authorities are on high alert. They caught news that some Syrian politicians have gone missing," his jaw clenched, "Everyone's being extra careful."

Nat nodded, "Why don't you fellas go on ahead? We'll finish up here."

"Mel, you mind if we borrow your car?"

She shook her head, "Not at all, I'll go grab the keys."

Mel and Sam headed towards the stairs and disappeared, leaving the others to themselves. "Hey, you did great, Mia,' said Steve.

She smiled widely, "Thanks, Cap. Maybe next time I might catch on a little quicker."

"You did better than most," he replied. He looked to Bucky, "We should go."

He nodded and turned to Mia, hoping to say something but knowing he'd never live it down if he spoke in front of Steve and Nat. Instead, he let his eyes drag over her figure one more time subtly, before he cracked a small smile that he hoped she'd understand, nodding slightly and walking away with his friend towards the stairs.

She stared on after him unashamedly, hating that something as benign as a small smile could reduce her to the mess she was. It took Nat clearing her throat a little obviously for her to shake herself, coming back to the present rather than fawning over the broadness of his back. "What?"

"You're drooling," Nat smirked.

She laughed dismissively, "I was not—"

"Seems to be a common occurrence today," she interrupted. "Nice shorts, by the way."

She groaned, "I wouldn't have worn them if you'd told me that the entire flippin' Spanish Armada would be watching!"

"Oh please, you should be thanking me. He looked like he was on the verge of an aneurism the whole time." Mia looked back dumbly, "You can't tell me you didn't notice."

"I...I...didn't?"

Nat shook her head and walked backwards to pack up the mat, "Sambo is the least of your problems."

X


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes: HEYYYYY GUYS, Holy Lord it's been a long, long time. How have y'all been?! I hope your crops have flourished and your skin is clear and they're selling your favourite Dorito's flavour at the supermarket, because mannnnnnn you deserve it. I'm so sorry for the long disappearance, but university sucks and things have been a little crazy as of late. My goal from now on is to update every second Saturday AT THE MOST, but I'll definitely try to bang out chapters every week if possible! Just wanted to say a quick thank you to RoxanneRay for the wicked review, honestly I kinda squealed and died for several minutes and you absolutely made my day! Can't wait to hear what you guys think of what's to come, and thank you so so much for sticking around for the second leg of this story. Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 15

"I don't know what to do."

Steve looked at Bucky as he sat on the hood of Mel's car in front of the airstrip Sam was currently foraging through. He was leaning against a dim lamppost, trying to figure out whether his friend was talking about the one thing he'd been most closed about over the past few days. "You mean...?"

Bucky simply nodded, arms lazed over his knees and a thoughtful look on his face. Steve sighed, "It sure took you long enough."

"I've got no idea what the fuck I'm doing," he said plainly. "Or what the hell I'm supposed to say."

"Well, the truth's usually a good place to start. Just be honest with her, y'know, don't beat around the bush." Steve continued cautiously, "Maybe you should ask her out."

He shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose as soon as the words left Steve's mouth, "I can't fucking do that."

Steve stood straight from the post, "Why not? It's what she wants."

"I can't just...ask her on a date. We're going back tomorrow, how the hell do I know I'm even gonna see her again."

"Buck, we live 10 minutes from her place," he stepped closer, "We're not just gonna cut off all ties 'cos the mission's over. She's not just Sam's friend, she means more than that to all of us. Hey," he nudged him lightly, "She's not going anywhere."

He let out a breath and took in his words. This was so unbelievably foreign to him, regardless of the fact that courting had once been a foremost talent of his. He had to devise a game plan, a way in which he could make sure he didn't make a complete twat of himself. "Where would I even take her?"

"Maybe you could ask her to Nora's restaurant. She might be comfortable there, y'know, a little more relaxed."

Bucky blinked slowly, "You want me to take her to her _work_?"

Steve nodded confidently, "Hey, it's not that bad."

"That's the worst fucking idea you've ever had," said Sam as he emerged from the tall grass he'd walked into 10 minutes earlier. He looked at Bucky and said, "Do yourself a favour and don't take advice from the guy who thinks the National Anthem classifies as 'romantic background music'."

Steve was about to defend himself, but Bucky simply shook his head in shame at Sam's words. "Hey, the lady who sang it at the Super Bowl had a nice voice, alright?"

"Don't," said Bucky. "Just don't, Steve."

Sam chimed in, "Ain't no girl wants to go to her place of work on a first date. You gotta take her somewhere classy, but not over-the-top. Some place where you guys can talk easily, but with people around. She's gotta be comfortable, but it's good to keep her on her feet."

Bucky's eyes shifted from Sam to Steve, not really understanding _what the fuck_ he meant, and deciding that maybe these two people weren't the best to get advice from when it came to things he hadn't done in 70 years.

"Or just cut to the chase and take her to a strip club, find out if she can get freaky or not," said Sam nonchalantly. "I'd go for that."

Steve interrupted when he saw the disturbingly contemplative look on Bucky's face, "Don't even think about it, this is Mia we're talking about."

"I wasn't," defended Bucky. "Just...considering my options."

Steve shook his head, "Ask her to dinner and a movie, you can't go wrong with that. And she's a total movie buff, she'll love it."

Sam nodded, "Sounds like a good compromise." He paused, "But don't ask her yet. Wait until we land in D.C. Then just before she's about to go home," he clicked his fingers, "Lay it all out there."

"Why can't he do it now?" asked Steve curiously.

"Because man, you gotta let the suspense build." He turned to Bucky, "Watch the look on her face when you do it last minute. She won't be expecting it, she'll lose her mind."

Bucky tried to get a grasp of the information he'd just been inundated with. It all made sense (roughly), and he understood how it might seem like something that would be foolproof. But he had to wait until the time came to know whether or not it would actually work, or if he'd end up making a grand idiot of himself.

Steve and Sam diverted and began talking about the airstrip that Lenny had directed them to, but Bucky's mind stayed adrift elsewhere. All of a sudden, he'd been exposed to emotions that hadn't made their way into his psyche in decades. There was a strange vulnerability about it all, and for the first time, he was at risk of being wounded in a very different way than any lesion he may have been dealt before.

So much had happened. Thankfully, he'd managed to grow a pair and compliment her, and Lord knows her reaction had made it worthwhile. That morning, he'd watched her conversing with Nur and couldn't help but notice a change in her demeanour. She seemed lighter, more at ease than she had been before. Then in the late afternoon, she'd rendered him speechless by deciding to show up to her training session in little more than a few scraps of clothing, still harbouring an air of innocence about her that didn't belong to someone as able as her. That had struck a nerve, and the way she'd responded to his directions while he taught her skills that were second nature to him was reassuring in the best of ways that she flourished in his presence.

That wasn't a bad indication at all.

"Buck? You ready?"

"What?" he asked, a little dazed.

"We're heading back," said Steve, "Let's go."

X

Mia had tried to stay awake, she really did. After dinner, she'd spent an hour talking to Mel about God knows what, wasting time away while Nat and Nes retired early. She figured she could stay awake until the boys got home, wanting desperately to spend her last night in Hatay the same way she'd done the past few evenings, lazing under a midnight moon with good company. It sounded perfect, and after the way events had gone that day, there would've been ample things to talk about.

But Mia made the mistake of momentarily lying down on the sofa while Mel went to change her clothes. The cool air that left the air conditioner covered the living room with a delightful chill, and that mixed with the _sinfully_ comfortable couch proved to be heavenly to her sore body after a full day's worth of exhaustion. Within minutes, she'd managed to fall into a deep sleep that Mel couldn't wake her from, and her hopes of spending her last night with him all but vanished.

Sam, Steve and Bucky returned from the airstrip just before 1:00am, and found the house quiet as mice when they crossed its threshold. They wouldn't have noticed that Mia had passed out on the sofa had they not been so hungry after having missed dinner, which was when they found her on the way to the kitchen.

"What the hell's she sleeping here for?" asked Sam.

"Was she waiting for us?" asked Steve.

A nagging thought at the back of Bucky's head told him that she wanted to be awake so that they could do what they'd done the last two nights. But instead of looking into it too much, he simply noted the way her body was dangerously close to falling to the ground with the smallest shift, saying concernedly, "We should take her up."

Sam immediately said, "I'd love to, but I was shot, so I don't think I should exert myself too much."

Steve added, "Yeah, I think I pulled something in my shoulder this morning. Wouldn't wanna make it worse."

Bucky looked at them, unimpressed as ever, and Sam said, "You have fun, though. But not too much fun, don't forget, she's asleep."

"Fuck off, Wilson."

Sam laughed giddily and looked at Steve, "It's just too easy with him, y'know?"

Sam and Steve walked towards the kitchen to look for some much needed chow, while Bucky let out a sigh and leaned down, slowly bracing his arms under her knees and her back. He hoisted her up in one easy motion, careful not to wake her lest she freak out and assume the worst. She mumbled a little but stayed with her eyes closed, and Bucky was sure he could feel his heart fail for just a moment when she snuggled into his chest instinctively, blissfully unaware that he wasn't, in fact, a pillow.

He carried her up the flight of stairs with ease, trying not to make too much of a racket as he neared her room. But as it turned out, he wasn't the only one awake at that time.

"No 'Romeo and Juliet' balcony scene tonight?" asked Nat. "You could wake her up, y'know."

He turned around and looked at her plainly, "Can you open her door?"

Nat smirked and did just that, walking into Mia's room before him and standing near the window. "She waited up for you, y'know?"

He eased her down onto the bed, gently gathering her long hair and carding it to one side of the pillow. It was only as his uncovered hand came into contact with a few wavy locks that his body tensed slightly, not having felt the sensation of a woman's hair between his fingers since a summer's afternoon in 1944.

"She's turned you soft," teased Nat.

He removed his hand almost immediately and took a step away from the bed, "I haven't changed."

"I said soft, not weak." She chose her words carefully, "The Red Room would've been a lot different if you had the kind of patience then that you did today."

He let out a breath, not having recently thought about his time spent with Nat under the Soviet regime. "She's not a soldier. She can't be trained like one."

She nodded, "She's strong, though." She looked at Mia as she lay comfortably in her bed, all traces of worries and hardships free from her face. "It's not surprising she survived it all."

He stayed quiet, knowing Natasha well enough to appreciate that her compliments didn't come lightly. His mind wandered to how Nat had treated Mia in the time they'd been together, and if he wasn't mistaken, he'd never seen her act that way with anyone she hadn't known from the business. The people she surrounded herself with all lived the same lifestyle she did, but Mia...she couldn't have been more different.

"What?" she asked, noting his silence.

"She's grown on you," he said confidently. "Just...haven't seen that before."

Nat's perpetual grin faltered for a moment, because no matter how accustomed she'd become to a life of independence, she couldn't deny that her time with Mia had been unique in the best of ways. Not only was she one of the few women she felt truly at ease around in her life, but her naivety when it came to the world was refreshing. She wasn't a gun-slinging, bow-and-arrow carrying type of girl; she was the perfect culmination of what Nat could have been had life not dealt her such fateful cards.

"She's not hard to like," she conceded. "It must be nice being that carefree," she looked at Mia, "Having sleep come so easily."

Bucky let his eyes wander to her face as she shifted slightly, curled up with her hand under her pillow and the other resting by her head. Her lips were plumped and her long lashes moved lightly as though she were in the middle of a dream. She was without worry and without fear.

Still beautiful, and still oblivious.

"Don't let her slip through your fingers," said Nat as she neared the door. "People like us, we don't all get as lucky. And if she's willing, then don't waste your chance."

She left without saying another word, and Bucky let her words replay in his mind. Through the advice of others and his own thoughts, his mind had been made clear. It might not work, and the chance of it leaving him worse for wear was high, but he'd made his choice.

And his _choice_ was to give it everything he had.

X

"I can't feel my legs. Or my arms," Mia whispered to herself, "Or my loins."

"Oh, please. You've been training since you were born, this can't be the worst you've ever felt," reasoned Mel.

She shook her head as she stayed hunched over the kitchen table, "I used parts of my body that I didn't even know existed. And now I feel like my tailbone's gonna fall out of my—"

"Lunch is ready!" said Nes with 2 large dishes in her hands. "Where is everyone?"

"The boys said they were gonna be training on the roof, so they're probably still there," said Mel. "And Nat's in the shower."

Nes set the plates up on the table, "Well, Meltem can you call them down, please? The food will be cold by the time they're finished."

Just as Mel was about to walk towards the staircase, her phone rang and the colour instantly drained from her face. "Oh my God."

Mia looked up immediately, "What?"

She struggled to formulate a coherent sentence, at which point Mia simply took the phone from her hands and proceeded to exclaim, "Oh my God, it's Richy! Pick it up, what are you waiting for?!"

"I've never talked to him on the phone before, I don't know what to say," she whisper-screamed for no reason at all.

"Oh my G—Mel! Just answer it, it's probably something important."

She groaned, "Oh God. Okay, okay." She took in a deep breath, "Okay, I can't do this with you staring at me."

Mia rolled her eyes, "Quick, go to the room!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Mel scampered her way to the nearest room and shut it behind her, leaving Mia and Nes at the table. "Young love," smiled Mia.

Nes replied, "It is a thing of beauty," she continued, "Speaking of which, can you please tell _Bughy_ and the others to come down for lunch, Miriya."

Before Mia could get a good retort in, Nes was on her way back to the kitchen and had left her alone with her aching body. With a huff and a few mild cusses, Mia made her way up the 3 flights of stairs with more pain than she'd had when her Achilles had been sliced in half, tripling her usual travel time and leaving her a blithering mess by the time she actually reached where she wanted to go.

Before she even opened the door, she could hear a series of grunts and huffs coming from the other side, but she didn't quite know which belonged to whom. With part of her knee-length dress scrunched into one hand, she pushed the entrance open and was met with a sight that left her, well and truly, open-mouthed.

Bucky and Steve had garnered the audacity, _the nerve_ to slip on the tightest tank tops they could find while they had one another locked in various Jiu-Jitsu holds on their makeshift mat. At that moment, Bucky had Steve in a rear-naked choke, with Steve's head locked firmly between the bicep of his fully visible metal arm and his hands trying but failing to break free of his clasp. There was a look of concentration on Bucky's face that should have been frightening, but proved to have the complete opposite effect on Mia, as she stood like a gaping fish, staring unashamedly at a side of him she'd never seen before.

It took a few more moments of resistance for Steve to tap out, with Sam screaming nonsensically in the background and the two super-soldiers heaving with tired breaths as they helped each other up.

"You've never gotten out of that one, Stevie. Not then, not now," said Bucky as he brushed his hair back.

Mia felt her heart melt because _oh my God, he called him Stevie_.

"You were 100 pounds heavier than me back then, it's not the same," defended Steve. "My neck can't compete with vibranium."

"Don't make excuses," said Bucky with a small smirk. "I think we've found your Achilles."

Sam walked over from his seat at the edge of the mat, "Cap, that was some bullshit. You were in the clinch 20 seconds into the round."

Steve wiped at his forehead, "You wanna have a go at him?"

Sam put up his hands, "Only a fool trusts a Russian in a fight," he looked to Bucky, "And yeah, for all intents and purpose, you a Russian, boy."

Bucky looked at him plainly while Sam _finally_ noticed an extra visitor, one that was pointedly surprised and _strangely aroused_ (?) by the aforementioned display of violence. "We got the real champ up in here."

Mia shook herself lightly and cleared her throat, retraining herself in the age old art of 'forming sentences'. "Hi—Hey, guys."

The three men walked towards her slowly, Bucky standing a little behind Steve and seemingly trying to keep his arm out of her line of sight. "How are you feeling? You were knocked out cold last night," said Steve.

She laughed, "Yeah, I was just insanely tired." She looked at their sweaty appearances, "You guys are obviously full of energy, though."

"Decided to get a light workout in," he said with a smile.

She could've choked, " _Light_? Wow, that's..." she stuttered, "Yeah."

Steve turned his attention to Sam, and despite her best efforts, Mia couldn't help but look Bucky's way in the meantime. His black tank top was notably soaked, and his hair was damp in the best of ways as he brushed it back away from his eyes. He looked over at her a little reluctantly, knowing that this was the first time she'd fully seen his arm in broad daylight.

She sent him a small smile the minute she understood his hesitance. She stepped closer, asking softly, "What time did you get back last night?"

He shrugged slightly, "Around 1." He paused, "You were asleep."

She shook her head, obvious regret that they didn't get to spend the night as she'd wanted, "I wish I hadn't been." She looked up at him bashfully, "I kinda got used to our routine."

He nodded lightly, "Another time."

Her lips parted, because was that an invitation or a promise, or both? Before she had a chance to ask, she suddenly remembered that she'd actually fallen asleep on the couch, but had woken up in the comfort of her bed, and unless the painkillers were really starting to mess with her, there was only one way she could've made it up there.

"Did you take me to—"

"Girl, please tell me lunch's ready," unknowingly interrupted Sam. "All we had was Turkish bread and dip for dinner."

"Yes, oh God, yeah, that's what I came here to tell you," she looked at all of them, "Nes needs you down there before the food gets cold."

They all visibly relaxed at that and started making their way to the stairs, Mia taking the moment to subtly and somewhat stalkerish-ly appreciate the wide plains of Bucky's back as he turned to the door.

 _Holy Jesus, that tank fits him well. How the hell did he even get that big? Did Hydra map out a nutritional plan for him? Was he given protein powder? Is it genetic? Who's even allowed to look that good when they sweat, it literally suits him more than being dry does. Sweet baby mushrooms, why is he wearing grey sweatpants? Everything's so perfe—_

"Stop being a fucking creep," said Sam. "His junk's off-limits until you stop being a wuss."

Her eyes widened, "Do you wanna say it a little louder, Kim Jong Un didn't hear you."

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that," Sam turned to shout in Bucky's direction, "Hey, yo Barnes! Mia says she wants to—"

Without a second's delay, she cupped her hand over his mouth and kept it there, smiling as Steve and Bucky turned around. "Did you guys hear that? I think Nes said something." She nodded, "You should probably get down there quick."

Sam quickly moved her hand from his mouth, "You hear that, Barnes? She wants you to get _down there_ qui—"

In the spur of the moment, Mia elbowed him with a bit of force in the same rib that had been shot a few days prior, now clasping both hands over his mouth and wanting to bury herself into the nearest desert. "We'll see you guys downstairs."

Steve turned to Bucky as they watched Mia drag Sam away to the side of the door, everything akin to embarrassment in her eyes. Bucky stopped Steve before he could even get a sentence out, "Don't say it."

He held out his arms, "I'm just saying, if there was ever a perfect time to—" 

"I'm leaving," and with that, he made his way down the stairs without another word.

"Why? _Why_ do you do this?" asked Mia with exasperation. "He's gonna think I'm a freak."

Sam grinned, "Guys are into freaks, y'know?" He rubbed at his still-healing rib, "Girl, I was shot 2 days ago. Take it easy with the Tai-Chi shit."

She winced, "Sorry. But you had it coming, it's already weird enough between us as it is."

"I'll have 12 kids by the time anything actually happens," he said.

" _I'll_ have 12 kids by the time anything actually happens between us. And even then, I'll find a way to make an idiot of myself and he'll be turned off to the idea forever."

"Ain't nothing turning him off as long as you keep wearing those short you had on yesterday," he said as they walked towards the door. "He had drool on his shirt and everything."

Mia shook her head as she blushed, "Your exaggeration kills me, y'know."

Sam stopped and looked her dead in the eye, "You calling me a liar?"

Mia smiled, "Well, I ain't calling you a _truther_." She waited for his impending reaction, "Drake and Josh? Big, beautiful chubby kid that ran over Oprah? No?"

Without another word, Sam simply walked ahead and down the stairs, leaving Mia laughing inwardly and outwardly at elaborate references that only she understood.

X

"Did you pack all of your dresses?"

"Yes, ma'am," replied Mia.

" _All_ of them?" asked Mel. "You sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, all 4 of them are right..." she rummaged through her bag and noted that one was missing, until Mel dangled it in front of her with an 'I told you so' look plastered on her face. "I was...testing you?"

"I guarantee there's at least 3 other things you've forgotten," said Mel.

"It's all good, you can just bring home anything that gets left behind, right?"

Mel sighed, "I don't get paid nearly enough to be in your life."

She smiled, "Then why do you stick around?"

"Well, now it's because you're gonna make beautiful super-human babies with a 100 year old man, and his best friend just so happens to be a national icon. They might interview me on '60 Minutes' some day, so y'know, I've gotta keep up appearances."

Mia clenched a hand over her heart, "You really think they're gonna be beautiful?"

She shrugged, "If they look anything like the father, they should be fine." She laughed at Mia's unimpressed glower, "As long as they get your eyes and your ass, they'll be the hottest kids around."

Mia paused and blinked slowly, "...I think that's a little paedophilic, Mel."

"I realised the moment the words left my mouth," rehashed Mel. "Let's pray they get your eyes and your skin tone, that'd be deadly."

"It'd be better if they got her eyebrows and his eyes," said Nat as she walked in unannounced, "And for the boys, it'd be best if they had her lips and his nose. Masculine, but with a feminine touch."

"Oh my God, I can totally see that. Blue eyes on a Syrian tan would be," Mel clicked her tongue, "In-fricking-sane."

"And he had German grandparents, that's why the melanin in his skin reacts well to the sun." Nat added, "Not a bad gene pool to work with."

Mia blinked slowly and held her hands up, "...How did we get to designing my imaginary babies?"

"It's never too early to start planning," reasoned Mel.

"Planning what? _Their chromosomes?_ " asked Mia. "Maybe this conversation would be better suited to _after_ we've actually had the chance to...y'know..." she gestured vaguely, " _Groove_."

...

"Groove?" asked Mel. "What are you, a member of 'Earth, Wind and Fire?"

Mia shook her head, "Well, I'm not just gonna come out and say 'after I incessantly bang his brains out', am I?"

Just as those fateful words slipped out of Mia's mouth, the other party of said _hypothetical incessant banging_ stood at the door with his brows slightly furrowed and his mouth a little open, having heard the last few words she'd said without any context.

She could feel all semblance of dignity leaving her body as she simply stared at him, waiting with burning ears and unmatched embarrassment for his response.

"Uh," Bucky cleared his throat, "We gotta get going."

Mia nodded with what little willpower she had and waited for him to leave before letting out a whimper and burying her face into the nearest pillow.

"At least he's got an idea of what to expect," consoled Mel. "It's probably better this way."

"2 weeks in a warzone and not a single person had the decency to shoot me in the face," said Mia into the pillow. "It's a cruel world."

Mia grabbed onto her arm and pulled her up from the bed, "Always so dramatic. C'mon," she picked up her bag, "Don't wanna keep granddad waiting."

Mia contorted her face in disgust, " _Please_ don't call him granddad. That's just...no."

"Why is it ok to call someone 'daddy', but not okay to call them 'granddad'? It's not like one's much better than the other."

"It's just...because..." she groaned, "I don't know, but it's just not right. All I think of is a bald head and adult diapers when you say that, just..." she shook her head, "Why are we talking about this?"

Mel laughed, "Because you're trying to stall going down there for as long as you can."

Mia exhaled and took one last look at the room she'd be saying goodbye to before she shut the door, "Let's go, then."

The two girls made their way down to the living room, where the rest of the team was in the midst of saying goodbye to the host they'd been so fortunate to stumble across. "We can't thank you enough for all you've done," said Steve, still a little thrown by Nes even after having spent some time with her. "You made things a lot easier."

She smiled and waved her hand, "Your company will be missed greatly, I do wish you didn't have to leave so soon."

Sam added, "You should know, there's a plane ticket to D.C. with your name on it ready for you, anytime you want."

Steve nodded, "He's right. Just say the word, and we'll have you there in 10 hours."

She threw her head back in amusement, "That's very kind of you both. I may have to accept that some day."

Mia walked in and placed her bag down, ready to bid a final farewell to a woman she'd grown immeasurably fond of in a small amount of time.

"I can't believe Mel's hidden you from me all these years," said Mia as she embraced Nes in a too-tight hug. "Why is Turkey so far from home?"

Nes smiled, "The distance is of no consequence, Miriya. We will find a way." She looked discreetly towards Bucky and leaned in to Mia, "Maybe there will be some cause for celebration that will require my presence in America in the future."

Mia's shook her head, "We'll all have saggy elbows and droopy chins by the time a celebration like _that_ comes around." She laughed, "But Nes, seriously, I can't thank you enough. Your hospitality puts all of us to shame, no joke."

She shook her head, "Don't be silly. I will expect the same thing when I visit your home."

Mia smiled, "And so you should."

Steve reluctantly added in, "We gotta get going, guys."

They all nodded and grabbed their bags as they walked down the steps towards the front entrance. The same summer night's breeze that they'd grown used to clouded their midst, and each one of them took a last glance at the still-stunning view that lay ahead.

"I don't think I'm ever gonna get over that," said Mia to Mel as she turned her way. "You've still got a month and a half on your own. Just...don't do anything stupid 'til you're home," she said with a smirk.

Mel laughed, "I have a feeling you'll do something dumb enough for the both of us." She closed the distance between them and engulfed her closest friend in an endlessly comforting hug as she said, "Just be safe. We can't rule the world if you're dead. And besides," said Mel as she pulled away, "I have a feeling we've got good things coming our way."

Mia smiled fondly and looked past her friend's shoulder to see Bucky packing the car with her things. "Yes, we do."

Sam, Steve, Bucky and Nat all took turns at bidding their goodbyes to Mel, while Nes watched from the doorway. With a final wave, they filtered into the car and began the final leg of their journey in one of the most volatile corners of the world. The looming moon marked the end of a chapter, as well as the beginning of so many wondrous futures, for all of them. 

X

"Okay, so I know I said that the last plane we were on was the best I'd ever seen, but this...just, wow."

Mia stood in awe of the _palatial_ jet that Lenny had arrived in, prepared to take them home at the stroke of midnight. She figured it would take her a solid 3 days just to acquaint herself with the entire aircraft, with actual rooms mapped out for all the passengers. In the north wing, there was a dining room and a bar, complete with entry to the entertainment room that held a cinema designed for mission briefings, but doubled as one's very own IMAX. As Mia snaked through door to door, she found a _basketball court_ about half the size of a normal one, with mats stapled to the floor next to it in a wrestling styled arena.

Besides the gym and bicycle room, Mia had well and truly thought she'd seen all that there was to see. But it didn't take more than a second for her to be left completely and utterly speechless, as her eyes befell a view she wouldn't get to see anywhere else in the world.

The plane had just begun hovering from the ground as she stumbled upon a 10 metre ceiling-to-floor window that looked as though it was stolen from the corner office of a skyscraper. The view she beheld was of endless greenery and scattered bodies of water, with every object growing smaller the higher their plane lifted into the sky. It wasn't long before it had reached a point where the entire city of Hatay could be seen at an ant's scale, with shimmering lights from the harbour marking the water and bridges littering the land.

If it were up to her, she'd stare at that view for the entirety of the trip, but one of the final tasks of the mission was still to be accomplished, which Nat came in to remind her of.

"Hey," Mia turned her head at the sound of her voice, "You've gotta be debriefed."

Mia quirked a grin, "I think I'd like to keep my underwear on, if that's alright with you." She laughed a little, "Y'know _de_ briefed. As in, lose my briefs."

Nat smirked, "You might not have too much of a say in that if someone on this place has a choice."

Mia quietened at the implication, reddened at the thought and almost burst into flames at the images her mind was producing.

"We're meeting in the conference room," said Nat as she led her out and into the adjacent area. As she walked in, she couldn't help but marvel at the clichéd table with swivelly chairs and important-looking pen holders. Everything thus far about the mission had been underhanded and dealt with quietly. The only meeting they'd had was at her apartment and hadn't really added any allure to the situation. But as Steve, Bucky, and Sam joined Nat to take seats around the oak table, she couldn't help but feel rather important for the first time.

"This looks like something out of the President's plane," said Mia.

"It's not too far from it," said Sam. "You ready?"

She nodded as she settled into her seat, "I feel like the worst part's over."

Steve chimed in, "Don't be so sure. This isn't a formal debriefing, at least not like how it would have gone down if SHIELD was involved. This is new for us too. But how we deal with everything after the mission is usually more important than what actually happened."

Mia nodded, "So, what do I need to know?"

"As far as records go, none of this ever happened," said Nat. "You weren't recruited on an operation to hostile territories, you didn't illegally leave the States for 18 days and you _definitely_ did not cross into Syrian borders."

Mia nodded, "Got it."

"Details of the mission, why we went there, _who_ we went there for...you can't mention a cent of that once you land on American soil. Usually, we'd have safeguards in place and SHIELD would set their own parameters to make sure these conditions weren't breached. But we went rogue on this, and we're trusting you, Mia." Nat paused and cleared her throat lowly, "I know you'll want to tell your brother. But as of yet, that's not a risk we can take."

The gravity of what she'd have to hide from Zayn was slowly settling in, and Mia knew it would be one of the hardest things she'd have to do. But it was to keep him safe, and to protect what they'd worked so hard to do. It wasn't ideal, but it was necessary.

"Okay," she said. "I understand."

Nat pulled open the folder she had set in front of her. "The database shows that you left for an impromptu trip to Turkey to meet Mel. You took Turkish Airlines, landed in Hatay, spent 18 days doing touristy things. And as far as we go," Nat pointed to the others seated at the table, "You know us through the restaurant. We've come in a few times, and you've had the chance to meet us from there. You already knew Wilson, so that's another factor."

Mia blinked slowly and asked a little timidly, almost as though she was afraid to hear the answer, "So...is that...what's gonna happen now? I'll just...see you guys at the restaurant?"

Nat smirked, "We'll be around. This is just in case anyone picks up a trail and traces it back to us. The people in this room know what really happened, and that's all that matters."

Mia nodded, a strange sense of sadness bubbling inside of her because this portion of her story had come to an end. And as far as she knew, it was the last time she'd get an experience like this again.

"Don't be surprised if you wake up and we're in your house making breakfast sometime," said Sam cheekily. "Or dropping off groceries. Girl, you need to get some food in your house."

She laughed, "Good luck getting in. I think Nat's the only one smart enough to bypass the elevator's security system."

He shrugged. "Don't need to bypass shit. We made a copy of your key."

Her eyes widened, "Wha—When?! How?!"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you," said Sam with the same sly grin he always seemed to wear.

"You got it from the top of the fridge, didn't you?"

His face faltered, "...Maybe."

She laughed, "Well, feel free to clean up around the house a little if you're ever around."

"You want me to bring my French maid's dress while I'm at it?"

She patted his arm, "Whatever makes you happy, Sammy."

Steve grimaced as though that wasn't exactly a visual he needed, as Nat continued, "There's one other thing. We're gonna have to bug your apartment."

Mia's eyes widened slightly, "Bug...my apartment?" Nat nodded, "You mean...video surveillance or wires?"

"All of it. However small it might be, there's still a chance that there are people who find out about you. It's either this, or we run of the risk of you getting caught in the crossfire."

Mia shook her head slowly, "I don't...Nat, I don't know if I'd want that. I know you'd be doing it to protect me, but...you guys wouldn't be the only ones with access to that feed. Anyone could intercept it, and besides..." she cleared her throat, "I sorta...I don't know, I guess...kinda want...my privacy."

"Don't you think video streaming is a little overkill?" asked Sam with his arms crossed at his chest. "She's not in Guantanamo, it's suburban D.C."

"What do you suggest?" asked Nat sincerely.

Steve added, "We could use the same motion sensors that you had in my safe house. That plus a few extra communication ports...I think she should be set."

Nat turned to Bucky, "You wanna add in your two cents?"

Thus far in the meeting, Bucky'd been relatively quiet and had used the time to simply listen. Realistically, the concept of over-sharing wasn't a problem for him, in that there wasn't a sister or an aunt in his life that he had to keep things hidden from. But he could tell how hard it would be for her to stay silent about something she'd normally divulge to her family, and there wasn't a single other pressure that he wanted to put on her if he could help it.

Whilst he valued the importance of safety more than most when it came to her, even he understood that tapping her apartment, the one place she felt most comfortable, just wasn't the right way to go about things. It'd not only make things harder for her, but all semblance of privacy would effectively leave her life and the confines of her home. He might've preferred to have had a constant idea as to whether she was okay or not, but surely there were other ways to achieve that.

"Don't put cameras up," he said to Nat. "Steve's right. Your sensors should be enough." He turned his sights to Mia's and spoke to her for the first time in the last few hours, "Is that okay?"

She nodded almost immediately, smiling a little and saying, "Absolutely. Yeah, I...sensors are good."

Sam slurped loudly on his ice-cold Coke, "You just don't want us to see all the male strippers you like to bring around on Friday nights."

All eyes on the table widened slightly, turning to Mia and looking more and more confused the longer she didn't deny the allegation.

She felt her cheeks redden instantly and it was only moments before her ears were burning. "I...No, that—It was one time, alright? And he totally took it out of context, it was for a friend," she defended.

Nat smirked, "You do favours like that for all your friends?"

She shook her head, "It wasn't a favour, it was sort of...part of a dare. They were only supposed to stay for 10 minutes, but..."

 _Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up._

Mia cleared her throat and ignored the pointed stares of both Bucky and Steve. "Is there...anything else that I needed to know?"

Nat grinned, "That should be enough. Besides that, just keep an eye out for the next few weeks. Try not to go to deserted skate parks and basketball courts at night."

Mia nodded, "I'll wait a while before I start doing that again."

"And this goes without saying, but anything you need, at any time...we're always here," said Steve. "No formalities."

Mia smiled, "You're gonna regret saying that, Cap."

He shook his head, "I don't think I will."

"Here," said Nat as she slid a small black package across the desk. "Figured you'd want it back."

Mia opened it up and almost squeaked in delight at the unexpected sight of her phone. "Oh my—How did you guys get this? I left it at home."

Nat shrugged, "Snatched it from your counter on the way over and dropped it to Lenny before we boarded from D.C."

Mia turned it on and could've sighed with relief at the 79% battery sign. "It's probably just gonna be a bunch of missed calls from Zayn."

"Either way, you can head to your quarters if you wanna rest. You've earned it."

Mia smiled at Nat and nodded, suddenly a lot more tired than she'd realised. She rose from her chair and tucked it in, running a hand through her hair and pocketing her phone before turning to the patrons at the table. "I know we went under insanely terrible circumstances, but...this entire trip was amazing. You guys gave me a chance to see home, and I know you could've chosen anyone, especially people who were much more capable than I was. I won't forget that."

They all looked at her with a mix of appreciation and understanding, knowing full well the extent to which such a journey would have impacted her. Bucky gazed at her a little differently though, his eyes filled with something dangerously close to adoration and a reverence that was unbecoming of a man like him.

Surprisingly, it was Steve who spoke to break the silence. "We asked too much of you from the start, and you kept on giving." He gestured to the 3 heroes that surrounded him, " _We_ won't forget that."

She smiled fondly and mentally berated herself for the tears that involuntarily filled her eyes. Suddenly, she felt as though she could hug every person in that room forever and it wouldn't be enough, but she kept those urges at bay for the meantime. She nodded once more and made a beeline for the door, infinitely happy with all that had transpired and more than ready to sleep off her fatigue for a few hours.

X

When Mia had entered the quarters she'd been set up with, she didn't spend time waffling around the spacious room to take in all its useful features. Instead, she shrugged off her pants and shirt, and fell asleep within minutes of hitting the bed in her beautifully air-conditioned room. 7 hours of restful slumber went by in a flash, and it was only because of the slight turbulence that she woke at all. But once she did, there really wasn't any chance of her lucking out on a few more hours of rest, so instead, she took to the showers for a blissfully long wash.

Once again, the bathroom in itself was the size of her room back in D.C., and bidding goodbye to the shower was a tragedy in itself. Fully cleansed and in a pair of shorts and a tank top, she left the room in the search for some much needed sustenance. The eerie quietness she was met with was only unnerving for a few minutes, because as it turned out, she wasn't quite alone at all.

"Good morning, Miss Alfiyan."

Mia leapt in the air like a troubled cat at the robotic voice that sounded over the P.A. system. She looked around with wide eyes and ragged breath as the voice continued, "I apologise, it was not my intent to alarm you."

Mia furrowed her brows, "I'm—Where...are you?"

"I am everywhere, Miss."

She closed her eyes and straightened herself, still in a state of shock. "Who are you?"

"I am JARVIS, ma'am. I am the centralised authority for intelligence aboard this aircraft."

Mia shook her head, "I'm not...I'm sorry, I don't understand. Are you talking from the cockpit, or...?"

"No, ma'am. I have been programmed and commissioned by Mr Anthony Stark to assume control of operations aboard his aircrafts."

Mia closed her eyes, "Wake up, Mia." She lightly slapped her face, "Did you eat the soap in the shower again?"

"Miss Alfiyan, I'm afraid that I am not a figment resulted from the effects of narcotics or hygiene products. I assure you that my presence will become more palpable once it has been verified by a colleague of yours. However, they are all currently in the confines of their quarters. Shall I summon one of them for you?"

Her eyes widened and she spoke louder than she needed to. "No, please don't call anyone." She shook her head and looked around at the unknown part of the plane she'd somehow wandered into. "Where the hell am I?" she whispered to herself.

"You are currently standing in the common room of the east wing. Would you like me to direct you elsewhere?"

She hesitated, "You can...tell me where places are?"

"It is one of my many allures. I can also play the banjo and the harmonica simultaneously, if that is a desire of yours."

Mia laughed, because _holy guacamole, this is some absurd shit._ "That sounds great, um, but I'd really appreciate it if you could get me outta here."

"To where do you wish to go?"

She thought back to the few places she'd actually visited on the plane, until she settled for the only one that really caught her attention. "Can you...show me where that big window is? The one you can see the sky from?"

"I believe you are referring to the Moon Lounge. If you proceed to the exit and then take a right at the end of the hallway, it is at the bottom of the stairs."

Without another thought, Mia followed his directions and tried to wrap her head around the Siri on steroids she'd just encountered. The hallway lit up as she walked through it, as did the area she now knew to be called the 'Moon Lounge' the moment she stepped into it.

"There is an assortment of snacks placed at the back of the room should you feel the urge to sate your hunger. Beverages can be found within the refrigerator."

Mia looked up to the ceiling to reply, because where the hell else could she speak to him? "Uh...You've been very helpful. Thank you, sir."

"Only my girlfriend calls me sir, ma'am."

Mia froze because _does a robot really have more game than I do?_

"That was a joke, Miss Alfiyan," it added boredly.

"Ha! Wow, I'm only half-convinced that you're real, man. Okay, well...thank you for your...guidance."

"It has been my pleasure. Should you need anything else, be sure to notify me."

She nodded, "Before you go, do you know how long we have til we land?"

"Estimated time of arrival is 43 minutes."

Mia nodded, "Wow, okay, that's not too long. Thank you."

"Farewell, Miss Alfiyan."

And with that, the room was filled with silence again, except this time, Mia had the company of a pre-dawn sky littered with heavenly clouds just beyond the window. As far as her eye could see, there was a peach dye that filtered through the crevices of darkness to signify the beginning of a new morning. Breathtaking, magnificent...the words that sought to describe what she was seeing just didn't do justice to it. It was another world entirely, and she felt a little more mystified than ever by the sky she saw every night.

"It's somethin', huh?," said a familiar voice from behind her.

She turned around and smiled timidly at him, "It is." Bucky came to a halt by her side, taking in the same skyline she viewed in awe. "Can you believe that the sun rises like this every morning? This view is here every single day, but it's the first time we're seeing it. It's like the universe is tryna hide it from us or something."

Bucky mulled that over, hands in his pockets and hair in an untidy bun at the base of his head. "I like sunsets better."

She turned her head, "Really? Why?"

He shrugged, "I just...prefer night time."

She nodded and laughed, not sure why such a sentiment made her blush the way it did. She decided to change the topic to somewhat safer territory, mostly so she could save herself from future torment. "So, what's in store for you when we get home?"

He paused, "I'm not too sure. Depends on what Steve does from here on out."

She smiled, "Still putting all your trust in a guy that wears tights?"

He quirked his usual smirk, "He hasn't led me wrong yet."

She looked back to the window as she tried to get a sentence across, "Y'know, if you're ever in my neck of the woods...I mean, y'know, nearby...don't be a stranger." She cleared her throat when he didn't reply, "But Bethesda's sort of far from the city, so I doubt you'll be around—"

"Mia."

She stopped almost instantly and turned his way. "Yeah?"

He took in how her face glowed with the shade of a pink dawn and her eyes were more alive than ever. He'd been advised to say something just before she was about to leave, but something about the way she looked then and there was a little too perfect to pass up. He swallowed, but didn't hesitate any longer. "Will you do something for me?"

"Anything," she replied immediately.

 _Fuck it._ "Let me take you out somewhere."

Every fibre in her being froze in that moment, and though she'd later deny it, she could feel herself gasp lowly as the words hit her ears. "...What?"

He licked his lips, "I'm not...really sure if this is how people do it these days, but," he shrugged softly, "I'd like it if you let me take you out sometime."

The smile that curled on her lips was instant, but his words didn't fully settle in until she realised that more than a few moments had passed and she hadn't replied. "Yes! Ehm, I mean, yeah, I'd...I'd love that. You," she brushed her damp hair nervously from her face, "I'm...are you sure?"

He grinned, "Are _you_ sure?"

She laughed and might've felt the ground beneath her give way to floating marshmallows when she admitted, "I think I've been sure for a while."

Her confession didn't make it any easier for him to maintain eye contact with her, but when both of them managed to stop fidgeting and allowed light brown to meet baby blue once more, neither one had it in them to look away. She always seemed to do that to him, rob him of words while they were cloaked under sunlight or moonbeams, just as they'd been in his dream. The smile she wore was bashful, and he couldn't help but think that she looked, almost certainly, a little more beautiful than ever.

"So, um, you got any ideas?" she asked with a smile. "Skiing in the Alps, perhaps?"

He let a laugh slip at the thought, body abuzz with childlike excitement that she'd said yes and _so willingly._ "If that's what you want." He didn't pause for long before a traitorous probe in his brain prompted him to say, "Wilson said to take you to a strip club."

Mia's eyes widened and Bucky's shut right as the words left his mouth. "You asked _Sam_ where to go?" She let her head fall back in laughter, "I'm surprised he didn't give you the address for the closest swinger's bar."

Bucky froze at the mention of such a scandalous thing from a girl as seemingly wholesome as her. She noticed immediately and pointed a finger his way, "Don't get any ideas, Barnes. None of that until at least the third date." When that only seemed to scare him more, her momentary burst of confidence all but vanished and she rehashed, "I mean...that's if we, y'know...even go on a second...date."

"How about dinner and a movie?" he asked quietly.

She smiled, "That sounds perfect." She looked down at her shifting feet, "You're sure you want this?"

His brows furrowed, "Why is that hard to believe?"

She shrugged, "It's just..." she cleared her throat. "Everyone's sorta been egging you on about it." She looked up with timid eyes, "I don't want you to just because...I don't know...you feel like you have to."

He shook his head almost immediately, "I chose this." He swallowed, "And if you'll have me...I wanna show you that."

And there he was. When he said things like that and looked at her the way he did, she got glimpses of James Buchanan Barnes before the war stole him of all that he was. He'd done this before, and he was falling back into a routine he'd once been familiar with. She broke into a smile that she felt throughout her body, and good _God_ it felt so right.

"I'd—Yeah, that'd be—Yes."

They shared an all too brief laugh before a booming voice sounded over the P.A. system. "Miss Alfiyan, I have been given a notice by the Captain to relay a request for the commencement of arrival preparations."

Mia jumped a little, still not used to the invasive iRobot. "Pardon?"

He replied boredly, "Your stop is 5 minutes away. You must gather your bags."

She leaned into Bucky, "Have you met Gerard yet?"

"My name is JARVIS, ma'am."

"Oh, sorry," she replied.

Just as she apologised, Sam waltzed into the room with his hands in his pockets and a sly grin on his face. "I see you met Stark's robot."

"I did. Wait, where do you know him from?" asked Mia.

"He was set up in Steve's safe house, had a couple of run ins with him." He approached the two of them and whispered, "He ain't the brightest, that's all I'm saying."

Her brows furrowed, "So...we're on one of Tony Stark's planes? I thought we couldn't do that."

Sam shook his head, "We couldn't fly in one of his jets, they're different. This is just a commercial Stark 747, he usually books it out for businessmen and celebrities."

She nodded in understanding. "Hey, so am I getting dropped off at a different place than you guys, or...?"

"Yeah, we gotta check back in with Fury, and he's on the other side of the state. You're lucky you got an airstrip just behind your house, kid."

"Just what every girl dreams of," she laughed. "Um, I guess I'll go get my things, then."

Sam nodded and gave Bucky a not-so-subtle side eye which he _completely_ ignored. "I'll let you kids say goodbye."

And with that, he went back the way he came and left the two of them as they were. She smiled nervously, adrenaline still coursing through her veins and her mind running amuck with tangible excitement. "So, when am I gonna see you?"

He paused, "How about Friday?"

She nodded, "Friday's good. Um, so should I meet you somewhere, or...?" She laughed and cringed, both inwardly and outwardly, "I'm sorry, I've been outta the game for a while, so I'm a little rusty."

He gave her a look that roughly said 'I was literally frozen for 70 years, woman', to which she replied, "Okay, yeah, I get your point." She laughed, "Um, maybe you could get me from my place? Say 7:00?"

He nodded, "Friday, 7:00."

She smiled, "I should probably...get going." Regardless of her words, she made no effort to move. Neither one was quite sure what the best way to say goodbye way, but Mia blamed the altitude for the stroke of courage that prompted her to graze her hand lightly on his chest as she leaned up to place a chaste kiss on the scruff of his cheek. She lingered, and his eyes flickered shut at the sensation of her lips on his skin. But she retreated all too soon, that bashful smile still stuck to her face as she said, "Good night, Buck."

His lips were parted as he watched her walk away, not having the presence of mind to reply in kind or at all. She swayed her way to the door before turning around one last time and smiling, "Don't be late."

His mouth upturned, and a promise fell from his lips. "Never."

And with that, she left him to his thoughts, plagued with how bizarre it was that they'd stumbled across one another, and had managed to stay blissfully bound. There were few moments in his life when he'd felt this way, but he knew...

...he was an absolute goner.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes: Howdy diddly my loves! Hope everyone is doing exceptionallllllly well, and life isn't treating you too terribly! I'm highkey lowkey SUUUPPERRR excited for y'all to read this chapter, and I hope I've done it justice. Also, on a totally unrelated note, I'm actually INSANELY interested to know who you guys picture Mia as in your minds?! Looking forward to hearing what you guys think, and I'll see y'all next update :'D Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 16

The first thing that Mia noticed about being back home was that everything was rather quiet.

A little _too_ quiet.

Her apartment building was situated in a moderately busy part of town, and so the sounds of cars buzzing by and train horns blaring in the early hours of the morning had become a normal part of her day. But after having gone where she has, she found the life of her neighbourhood rather nonexistent, with not a single jarring noise heard in the distance throughout her first few days back.

Somehow, the _lack_ of gunshots was the things that she found most strange to fall back into.

Having arrived home in the early hours of Monday morning, Mia etched out an entire day dedicated to replenishing her house's food supplies, and then finishing said supplies within the span of 36 hours. Her body had recovered swimmingly, but the emotional exhaustion that riddled her bones would take a little more time. Thankfully, though, it was nothing a Netflix binge and 7 pints of tiramisu flavoured ice cream couldn't cure.

She called in to tell Nora that she'd made it back safely as soon as she was home, and her normal hours of work were resumed by Wednesday. Getting back into an easy, predictable routine was heaven to her nerves, and she decided that there was nothing wrong with simply spending the next few weeks at the mercy of work and relaxation.

She'd gotten a few texts from Sam, discreetly telling her that their meeting with Fury went well, and to expect a spontaneous drop-in session sometime soon. That brought her to the one thing she'd spent equal time stressing, obsessing and losing sleep over; her date with Bucky.

Regardless of the fact that she was more excited for this than any event in recent history, there was a part of her that kept her hopes from inundating her spirits, _just in case_ there was a last minute change of plan. She knew he was a man of his word, but that didn't change the fact that sometimes, people just got cold feet. And if that were to happen, at least she could've told herself 'I expected this' as opposed to 'this is gonna shatter me'.

But nevertheless, an hour-long phone conversation with Mel was the turning point in her little game of doubt, with no one quite as capable of getting through to her as her best friend.

"You're gonna stop thinking like that _right now_ and you're gonna take your sorry ass to the closest mall to get a new outfit," said Mel sternly.

Mia sighed, "I have clothes, Mel. I'll just chuck on whatever."

"If you dare _chuck on whatever_ on your first date with one of the most delectable men of the 20th century, I'm gonna plan at least 3 different ways to assassinate you."

Mia rolled her eyes, "And _I'm_ the dramatic one."

"You're being stupid, Mia. He's not gonna bail, and you're not gonna blow him out of the water by being half-hearted about this. Give it everything, and if it doesn't work out, go fuck the guy from our Health Professionals class."

Mia's eyes widened, "Mel!"

"What?! He's asked you out twice before, he'd jump at the chance!" she defended. "Okay, but forget about that for the time being. Focus on grandpa."

Mia clutched the bridge of her nose, "You're killing me, man."

"I'm not killing you _yet_ , but I sure as hell will if you dress up like a hobo on this date. You looked so hot wearing all those traditional dresses, why is this so different?"

"It was easy in Turkey, _everyone_ was dressed nicely. I haven't..." she groaned. "C'mon Mel, you know how long it's been since I went on a date. What classifies as _too much_ or _too little_ for dinner and a movie? Do I dress up because we're gonna be having dinner, or do I keep it casual because we're going to the theatres as well?"

"You're over-thinking the shit out of this, Alfiyan. Listen, go to the mall, try on a few different things and send me a couple of photos. It might take me a while to reply because reception's being extra shitty, but I'll get back to you."

Mia let out a breath, "Alright, that sounds good." She paused, " _God,_ this would be so much easier if you were here."

"Hey, you spent all those days seducing him on your own. Have a little faith in yourself."

She sighed and straightened a final piece of hair before saying, "Alright babe, I gotta go to work. Wish me luck, Thursday mornings are usually the busiest."

"Will do, and say hi to Nora for me. Let her know that I miss her as if she was my own mother," she said seriously.

Mia stifled a laugh, "...I'm not gonna say that."

"Why not?!"

"You've met her twice! And you can't say things like that just to get free food, Melon!"

"Hey, I fall for people fast. And it's not _just_ for the food, I genuinely love her."

Mia sighed, "Alright loser, I'll let her know. Anyone else you want me to confess your love to? Scottish babes? Curly-haired, blue-eyed heartthrobs?"

She laughed the same oddly girlish laugh she always did when Richy was mentioned. "Just go to work. And remember, send me photos!"

"I will. Tell the girls I miss 'em."

With a few final words of goodbye, Mia pocketed her phone and was out the door, ready to blaze through an intense 6 hour shift at D.C.'s best Italian coffeehouse.

X

It was about 3 in the afternoon before Mia parked her car back in the garage of her building, 3 shopping bags in hand and an ice-cold caramel milkshake cooling her down in May's unforgiving heat. Somehow, she'd managed to narrow her date night outfit choices to two different sets, both of which were unlike anything she'd bought before, and most _certainly_ things she wouldn't have dished out for any previous date.

But, as always, Mel was right. She'd have to give this thing everything she had, and that meant stepping out of her comfort zone every once in a while. Thus far, he'd mostly seen her in pants, work shorts or conservative traditional dresses, but that had all been under circumstances where their 'relationship' wasn't at the forefront of her clothing decisions.

However, now she'd be alone with him, and there wasn't a single other person's opinion that she was concerned with. So, she'd gone out on a limb and bought what would have been unthinkable only months ago, hoping and praying that it would be good enough.

As she exited the elevator she fiddled about in her purse to try and find her separate house key, which was almost as difficult to find among the pile of useless receipts as returning home alive from Syria had been. As she stood in front of her door and kept on with her search, the last thing in the world she would have expected was for it to be pulled open from the other side, with a familiar face at its handle.

Her eyes widened and her hold on the bags faltered slightly, "You."

There stood Bucky, clad in black jeans and a dark flannel with his hair tied at the base of his head, quietly amused by her reaction. "Me."

She smiled, "You're...in my house..."

"So are we," shouted Sam from behind him. "No hanky-panky in front of innocent bystanders, please!"

"Oh my god," Mia whispered. She shut her eyes and tried to remember every good thing about Sam that negated her unyielding urge to kill him. Bucky simply opened the door wider and let her in, briefly taking note of the way that she clasped the shopping bags tightly shut as she walked.

"There she is," said Nat with her trademark smirk. "How's civilian life treating you?"

Mia put the bags down by the sofa and her milkshake on the table. "The first day back was probably the worst. I had no idea what to do with myself, but then I just fell back into the routine, I guess." She smiled, "Y'know, if you guys had called ahead, I would've cleaned up a little and might've cooked a few things."

Nat waved her hand, "We can't stay for long. But we installed the motion sensors." She pointed at the front door, the window and her bedroom. "Your three points of entry are all covered, so if anyone that isn't programmed into the system walks in, you'll be notified within a few seconds. If you don't respond to the alert, we'll get buzzed and one of us'll be here as soon as we can."

Mia shook her head, "You guys are going to a lot of trouble."

"It won't matter if it ends up saving your life," said Nat. Sam was scouring the kitchen while Bucky was watching something intently out the window, leading Nat to ask quietly, "So he finally grew a pair, huh?"

Mia laughed, "I think we both did." She paused because _that doesn't sound right_. "I mean, we both manned up—Shit, not like that, I mean—" she whispered, "I didn't grow testicles."

"I got it the first time," smiled Nat. "Dinner and a movie?"

Mia nodded, "I think a strip club was somewhere in the suggestions, as well."

Nat scoffed, "Please. He'd get more of a kick out of watching you at training."

Mia laughed sarcastically, "Oh, _of course_ he would. Because there's nothing sexy about naked women dancing on poles, is there?"

"I never said that. But seeing a woman use her body to fight off men twice her size while wearing spandex...it brings out a primitive instinct in guys like him." She looked Bucky's way, "If there's one thing he's gonna like, it's a powerful woman."

Mia filed that piece of information to a corner of her mind as Sam and Bucky approached them. "We're all set."

Nat nodded and turned to Mia, "We'll leave you to it, then."

"Hey, where's Steve?" asked Mia.

"He had a follow-up with Fury. Oh and, he wants to meet you," said Sam.

" _Fury_ wants to meet _me_?" She blinked, "You sure?"

Sam nodded, "Said so himself. We'll let you know when."

Mia shrugged, "Or you could just break into my house and raid the fridge with him." She smiled, "Did you find the fried chicken you were looking for?"

Sam feigned offence, "That's a really racist thing to assume."

She folded her arms across her chest and gave him a look that broke his resolve. "Okay, I was looking for fried chicken _this_ time, but still, you can't just think that's all a brother eats. That's stereotyping."

She squinted her eyes, "I think between all the 'Bin Laden' and 'goat-lover' jokes you make, we're pretty even, Sammy."

He tried to reply with a good retort, but sighed when he realised she always took more than she dished out. "You off the hook this time. But don't get too comfortable."

"Never do, Pigeon."

He shook his head and mumbled his way to the front door, followed by Nat and leaving Bucky dawdling near Mia as they walked. "So...uh...I'll still...see you tomorrow, yeah?"

He nodded, "7:00?"

"7:00," she agreed. Before she had the chance to say anything further, Nat walked back over the door's threshold and whispered lowly to Mia, "Wear the leather one." She winked as she pulled away, "Powerful, remember?"

Mia stared with her mouth agape because _how in the Sam Heck did she see the clothes I bought?_ Bucky looked confusedly between the two of them, but ultimately took Mia's reaction as a sign that it was something bound by female confidentiality.

"Got it," stuttered Mia. She turned to Bucky as he stood near her door, hands still in his pocket and a certain glint in his eye.

"Bye, Mia."

She smiled, "Bye."

And with the simple utterance of her name _one time_ , she felt all semblance of self-assurance leave her body in an instant. She shut the door and smiled idiotically as she leant on it, both awaiting and dreading for the next 24 hours to go by.

X

"And then he pulled a knife." Zayn paused, "He pulled _a knife_ while he was surrounded by _10 Karate black belts_. How much of a dumbass would you have to be to come into a Muay Thai gym and try to attack _professional fighters_?!" He sighed, "They took him down in a few seconds though, called the cops and he's probably gonna get convicted."

Mia shook her head in disbelief, "I can't believe it. I honestly just—Why did he get kicked out of the club to begin with?"

"Because we found out he'd been beating his girlfriend senseless for 6 months, didn't look like he was gonna stop anytime soon. He didn't take the dismissal too well, obviously, but we just didn't expect _that_ from him."

Mia shut her eyes, "Was everyone alright though?"

"Yeah, they're fine. When he came in, he was just shouting at Lou and Jimmy for a few minutes, and then after they told him to leave, he tried to go all Jackie Chan on 'em." He laughed without humour, "Never would've thought Brendan fucking Waters would have a meltdown that bad."

"Well, the important thing is that no one was hurt—Ow, Jesus _frick!_ "

"What happened?! Mia?!"

In preparation for her date, Mia had taken to her curling iron to twist loose waves in her hair while listening to her brother's story on loud speaker. But just as she was fiddling with the last few pieces, her hand slipped onto the iron and the string of curse words that followed the pain came all too naturally.

"Nothing, I'm fine. Just burnt my hand on the curler."

"Jesus, be careful, _zalami_." He paused, "Wait, you're curling your hair? Who are you curling your hair for?"

Mia rolled her eyes, "No one, I just felt like doing it."

He scoffed, "Don't bullshit me, the only reason you'd spend 2 hours on your hair is because there's some tall, dark and handsome twerp about to take you out. And chances are I'm not gonna like him either."

She laughed at just how close to reality his prediction was, but she wasn't about to show her cards just yet. "Zayn, no one's taking me out."

"You just went all giggly. That is classic pre-date behaviour."

"I didn't go giggly, that's my voice," she said, really trying hard not to laugh.

" _You went giggly._ " He paused, "What's his name?"

"He doesn't have a name."

"Is he an accountant? Is he a neo-Nazi? Is that why you can't tell me?"

She put the curler down and ran some setting oil through her hair. "Because a neo-Nazi would _love_ to get with someone like me, hey?"

"He's probably in his late 50's, isn't he? That's why you're being low-key about it. I knew it."

She cringed because _he's actually 97 but y'know, no biggie._ "I'm gonna hang up now."

"Okay, wait, wait, wait." He sighed, "Are you really going on a date?"

She let out a huff of breath, "It's Friday night, Zayn. I'm just hanging with some friends." Sure, she could've just come out with the truth, but the chances of Zayn shifting into super-protective brother mode were just way too high. And in all honesty, she didn't know what this was yet. It was just starting out, and there was no point getting him riled up for no reason.

"Alright then, I won't do any more digging. But stay safe, don't go home with strangers, and _do not_ eat fish tacos."

"...Why can' I eat fish tacos?"

"Because they taste _horrible_ , God, remember we had them when I came to D.C.?"

Mia squinted her eyes in recollection, "...That was tofu..."

Zayn paused, "Oh. Okay then, go crazy with the fish tacos."

She shook her head, "So weird." She cleared her throat, "Alrighty, I'll talk to you later, man. Please do your best not to let disgruntled ex-club members try to kill you again."

"I'll try. Be safe, Mia."

"Always am," she smiled. And with that, she hung up the phone and made her way to the bed where her outfit of choice was spread out. She'd stalled enough, with her makeup and hair taking half an hour longer than necessary, but this was it, and she knew that. So with a sigh, she got to work changing into her newly bought clothes, hoping beyond hope that they made an okay impression.

On the other side of town, Bucky sat in Steve's car with an anxious finger twitching at his leg, an inexplicable feeling of nervousness shrouding his senses.

"You okay?" asked Steve as he stopped at a red light. "You look like you're 'bout to have an aneurism."

He looked determinedly ahead, "I'm fine."

Steve prodded, "So, you're taking her to Ray's for dinner?"

He nodded slightly, "Wilson said she liked pizza." He let out a small breath, "Not sure there's any food she _doesn't_ like."

Steve smiled, "You know which movie you're gonna watch?"

"Nah, that's her department."

Steve looked over at him, "C'mon man, you're not about to be sentenced to exile. Liven up."

Bucky ran a hand over his face, "It's not that. I just...fuck me, I can't screw this up."

"You're not gonna screw it up. She's been sweet on you since forever, and she's probably just as terrified as you are. Take it on the chin and do what you gotta do."

He let out a breath, "Says the kid that puked for three days after shaking hands with Betty White in '39."

Steve turned his head as he drove, "...You _know_ how I felt about her. But it doesn't matter, I had my chance to make a better impression."

Bucky looked at over at his friend, "What do you mean?"

"I met her last year at one of SHIELD's benefits."

Bucky's brows furrowed, "She's alive?" Steve nodded, to which he added, "Wow. She's gotta be a hundred years old right now."

Steve smiled, "So are we, pal."

The two of them shared a look that spoke as to how far they'd come, so much so that even all these years later, Steve Rogers was taking his childhood friend on his first date with a girl that might change everything. The century might've been different, and there was no way to get around the fact that realistically speaking, they should've been 6 feet under...but they knew that everything turned out just as it was intended.

"Well, moment of truth. You ready?" asked Steve as he parked outside of Mia's apartment building.

Bucky breathed in, "Fuck no." And with that, he shared a final look with Steve, who nodded in encouragement, "Tell her I said hi." As he walked his way up the front stairs, he noted that he'd made it exactly on time and could've used the spare key that she knew he had to get into the building. But something about the difference in this situation to any other left him waiting for her to answer the phone as he buzzed in her apartment number.

"Hello?" she asked through the receiver.

"It's me," he croaked. He cleared his throat, "Am I early?"

She laughed that sweet laugh that he sure as fuck shouldn't get to hear as often as he did. "You're right on time. I'll buzz you in."

He heard the door open immediately, and so he made his way through the lobby and towards the spacious elevators, trying desperately to keep his nerves at bay. Before he knew it, he was at the 17th floor in front of her door, knocking with his gloved hand and running the other nervously through his hair.

There was some momentary rustling and muttered cusses that sounded from the other side before he heard her yell out, "It's open!"

He turned the handle and let himself in, finally mostly familiar with her apartment after having been in it a few times. He waited around slightly awkwardly near the entrance, until he heard her say from her room, "Make yourself comfortable, I'm just getting my shoes on."

"S'okay, no rush." He walked towards the couch and sat down, giving himself a mental pep-talk for the ages that wasn't nearly enough to get him through what was to come.

 _Man the fuck up, Barnes. You've done this before. No weakness, just gotta be calm and collected. Fuck, I should've bought some flowers. She would've liked that. Or some chocolate. She would've loved that. Fuck, why didn't I—_

"I'm so sorry, I just couldn't get these bloody shoes on," he heard her say from behind him, but as he turned and got a chance to see her fully, _holy fuck_ he was ruined.

The woman in front of him stood with a perfected body covered by a flow-y black leather skirt that cut off at her mid-thigh and a tighter-than-hell white, lacy bodysuit that hugged her curves like a sin. His eyes trailed down to the jet black lace-up heels that wove around her tanned calves in a way that would've brought most men to their demise, and it only get better as his gaze met hers.

She was fidgeting with her fingers nervously, half of her taking in the sight of him and the other half trying hard not to combust at the way he was looking at her. He'd donned a tight black sweater with a sliver of his white T-shirt peeking out from under it, matched with dark pants and his hair in the same low bun he seemed to be sporting these days. It wasn't fair, not to Mia, not to humanity, not to extra-terrestrial life, and if it was up to her, they wouldn't have stepped a foot out of her building that night.

...Funnily enough, his mind was running along the same lines.

"You ready?" she asked with a shy smile.

He swallowed and simply nodded, still not entirely sure as to how he was supposed to have a conversation with her when his brain was so utterly fried. She grabbed her house keys and shut off the lights as she led the way towards the door, smiling nervously at him when he joined her in their walk to the elevator.

"Did Steve bring you?" she asked.

He nodded, "He says hi."

They stepped onto the elevator and she pressed the ground level button, "He should've come up," she said.

"No, he shouldn't have." Mia looked at him and couldn't tell if he was being serious or joking, but as fate would have it, she didn't have too much time to ponder over that when the elevator stopped at the 10th floor, and a sad, familiar face joined their midst.

Miss Langley did a double-take when she saw the sight of Mia all dressed up and with a smug grin on her face, not even registering that the handsome man standing next to her in the elevator was, in fact, _with_ her.

"Miss Alfiyan," she said curtly.

"Miss Langley. How're you doing on this fine evening?" Mia asked with amusement.

As always, Langley obnoxiously clicked the ground floor button _even though_ Mia had already pressed it. She ignored Mia's question and turned to Bucky instead, apparently quite interested as to who the young, handsome man in _her_ apartment building was doing there. "I'm afraid we haven't met. I'm Lisa, the manager around here. And you are?" she asked as she extended her hand.

"James, ma'am," he replied quietly.

"Ah, lovely to make your acquaintance, James. Are you here visiting someone?" she asked innocently, her words laced with all the sweetness that she never showed tenants like Mia.

"I am. You have lovely residents here," he replied rather surprisingly.

She smiled, "Yes, well, we do try our best." She quickly eyed Mia then turned away, "Although, we do have the occasional troublesome ones, I must admit."

Mia rolled her eyes, fully used to this kind of treatment from Langley by now. But what she didn't expect was Bucky's reaction as he said, "They're the most fun."

Mia stared a little open mouthed as Langley replied, "Not when they burst a pipe at 3 in the morning, I'm afraid."

"Oh my God," whispered Mia.

"It must've been a mistake," reasoned Bucky.

She laughed humourlessly, "Stupidity cannot constantly be masked as a mistake. Eventually, it just becomes a habit."

Bucky looked Mia's way because _holy shit, this lady is seriously as bad as she said she was._ Mia gave him a 'what are ya gonna do' kind of face, totally accustomed to Miss Langley's spontaneous ranting sessions about tenants to people. But just before they hit the ground level, a spark of confidence tugged at Mia and...well, she just couldn't help herself.

She leaned in and said lowly, "Y'know, if you ever run out of batteries and wanna let off some steam, don't be afraid to gimme a call." She nodded overly-sweetly as Langley turned back in horror, "One day, you'll come to terms with your urges towards me, and I'll be waiting by the phone when you do, ma'am."

The bell dinged as the doors fell open, and to add an extra touch, Mia grabbed Bucky's hand in hers, watching with content as Langley _finally_ realised that she'd been complaining about Mia to _her date_ , and walked out of the elevator. She didn't catch the way Bucky smiled with silent smugness at Langley, nor the disdain that spread across her face as he did. She simply walked like the confident woman she'd dressed up as across the lobby and out onto the street, a light dose of adrenaline pumping through her as the summer air hit them.

"Oh my _God_ , it's like she enjoys getting shut down," said Mia as she rested her hands on her hips and smiled like an idiot. "Well, I'm glad you finally got to meet..." she paused when she looked his way, "What's wrong?"

He didn't realise that his face had taken on a serious shade to it as he watched her hair blow softly in the wind, the victim of every cliché he'd ever known to be true. It was early on in the night, but what had to be said, had to be said.

"You're somethin', you know that?," he said plainly.

She stopped smiling, and though it might've seemed counter-productive, she couldn't find it in her to respond with any air of seriousness. "You need to meet more girls."

"No." He shook his head and took a step closer to her, letting his body guide him through whatever it was that they were doing. "I don't think I do."

And just like that, it was a little harder for her to breathe. They'd been in this moment a few times before, both stuck in a strange limbo because the timing never quite seemed to be right. In an ideal world, they might've leant in, just for a moment, and sparks would've flown and fanfares would have sounded in the background. Lord knew they'd waited long enough, and neither one would've disagreed in the slightest...

...But then, the horn of their taxi decided to deafen every person in its midst.

"Jesus, _why_." Her eyes widened, "I mean...they always just...beep so loudly." She cleared her throat, "I phoned for a taxi, y'know, can't trust Abu too much these days."

He recollected himself and asked, "Your car?"

She nodded, "Yeah, he's the best. Favourite baby I'll ever have." Her brows furrowed, "Not that, y'know, I'm sure if I have a baby—I mean an actual baby, but as far as non-real babies go—"

"Lady, you order a taxi?" belted the bored looking driver.

She turned and replied, "Yes, yeah, that's me." She looked at Bucky, "You wanna...?"

"After you."

The two of them slid in and buckled their seatbelts before Mia asked the driver to wait a moment while she ran the plan by Bucky one time.

"Alright, so I hope you don't mind but, there's this theatre near Albury that plays Disney movies on Friday nights." She bit her lip to try to keep herself from smiling too hard, "And...um...I know there are a bunch of things that we could see but...there's a showing for Aladdin at 9:00 and..." she shook her head, "It's a national travesty that you haven't seen that movie yet. I mean, it genuinely makes me very sad."

He listened with amusement and nodded slightly, "Let's do it."

She squinted, "Are you sure? It's...y'know, a little childish."

He shook his head, "You like it so, it can't be _too_ bad."

She tilted her head, "Thanks for the massive vote of confidence, Barnes."

He grinned, "My pleasure."

"Where to, kids?" asked the driver.

Mia looked at Bucky, "Uh, did you have a place in mind for dinner?"

"I was thinking Ray's?" he said unsurely. "If you—I mean, if you want."

The smile that lit her face was instant, "Oh my God, pizza sounds perfect right about now."

He nodded, "Wilson said you might like that."

She giggled (she actually _giggled_ ), "There isn't much that can keep me from a thick crust and extra cheese."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said softly.

"Speaking of your mind, you wanna tell me where it wants me to take ya'?" asked the old driver impatiently. "Your metre's runnin' here, son."

"Sorry, sir," laughed Mia. "Ray's on 7th, please."

And with a grumble, the driver took off and into the traffic, having to listen to the conversation that was unfolding in the backseat.

"Okay, I need to ask because I've been dying to know, but," she turned to face him, "Will this be the first film you've seen since 1945?"

He shook his head, "Since '43."

Her eyes widened, "You didn't watch _anything_ while you were staying with Steve? _Nothing_?"

"He had 2 news channels on his TV, and that's about it. Besides, I don't...I'm not really good with the whole technology thing."

She scoffed, "You just need someone to show you the ropes one time, then you'll be set for good."

"You wanna show me?"

Her jaw slackened a little, "I mean...sure, if you want."

He nodded slightly and turned his head to look out at the city instead of at her reddened cheeks, not ready to be this _affected_ so early on in the evening. They sat in a comfortable silence as they both took relief in the familiarity of a known town, noting the lights that shone from buildings and stores on a busy Friday night, happy to be home and together.

"That'll be $14.54," said the driver as he came to a stop at the side of the bustling lane.

Mia reached for her bag but was instantly stopped by Bucky's hand, "I got it."

She smiled and unbuckled her seat, waiting for him to slip out so that she could follow. As he left, she didn't expect him to reach out his hand in a silent offer, waiting for her to take it and hoisting her onto the sidewalk quickly as the driver sped away as fast as he could.

"Jesus, he was grumpy. And he's not even as old as you," said Mia coyly.

He looked at her from the corner of his eye, "So that's how it's gonna be?"

She laughed and clicked her tongue, "I'm afraid so."

He grinned and nodded in understanding as he opened the door to the restaurant for her, and regardless of what you might be thinking, that gesture had absolutely _positively_ nothing to do with the heavenly view he'd get if he walked in behind her.

...( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Mia felt the heat of the kitchen the moment she stepped over its threshold, with a friendly face emerging from it and asking, "Welcome to Ray's Originals. Table for 2?"

She nodded, "Yes, please."

"Follow me."

The middle-aged man led them towards a cozy booth near the window, and placed their menus down in front of them as they got seated. "I'll be back in a few minutes to take your orders."

"Thank you," said Mia, while Bucky nodded. She took a moment to look around at the gorgeous setting, with a mouth-watering display of pizzas spread across their cabinets, dimly lit chandeliers hanging from the low-set ceiling and a smoky bar nestled perfectly in the corner.

She clapped her hands lightly, "I've heard so much about Ray's, but I've never actually been. To be honest, Nora's shop has a little bit of a rivalry going with them, so technically, I shouldn't even be here."

He smiled a little, "We can go someplace else if you want."

"No, no. This is perfect." She held her tongue because _wow_ she was incredibly close to saying 'you're perfect' as well. She cleared her throat and opened her menu, "So, see anything you like?"

He glanced up at her but didn't reply, waiting for her to look back and hoping that she might blush like she always did. "I mean, from the...y'know, pizza."

He glazed over the menu before landing on the one thing he'd loved the last time Sam had brought Ray's back to headquarters. "Maybe the pepperoni?"

She nodded, "Solid choice. To be honest, I'm not even sure why I'm looking at the menu, I already know what I'm gonna get."

"Which is?" he asked.

"Double margarita with some oregano." She kissed the tip of her fingers, Italian style, and said, "Oregano just makes everything better."

"Are you ready to order?" asked the same man.

Mia looked to Bucky, granting him the honours of saying their choices. "Uh, just a regular pizza, half pepperoni, half margarita..." he paused as Mia shook her head at him. "No, uh, double margarita with some oregano, please."

The man wrote down the order and asked, "And for drinks?"

Mia asked lightly, "You wanna share a Coke?"

He nodded a little too quickly, "Sure."

"Just a Coke, please," said Mia.

"Very well, I'll take your menus, and your order should be out soon."

They both thanked the man and relaxed back into their chairs, both a little more anxious now that the date had officially begun and they were sitting across from each other with less distance between them than usual.

Mia was the first to break the silence as she crossed her arms on the table and asked, "So what was your old stomping ground back in Brooklyn? Did you have a go-to diner? A red-stooled restaurant that you and Steve hung out at?"

He furrowed his brows and thought for a moment. "There was this place next to Steve's building that we worked at for a while. Don't know what it was called, but we spent most of our time there as far as I can remember."

"You and Steve worked _together_? There is no way you guys got any actual work done."

He smirked, "We didn't. I think the manager got sick of us fucking around so he just told us to take out the trash at the end of the day for a free meal." He laughed and shook his head, "Brought most of our dates there 'cos we'd just make the food ourselves."

She fiddled with the napkin and asked tentatively, "And judging by your old photos, I'm guessing there were more than a few of them?"

He shook his head and not-so-subtly looked her over, "None worth remembering."

 _Holy fucking Guacamole, someone shoot me and more importantly, somebody tell him to stop looking at me like that. I'm not emotionally equipped for this kind of torture._

"Have you talked to your brother?" he asked conversationally.

Mia cleared her throat, "I did, I actually just got off the phone with him a little while before you came. Apparently one of our old employees came in to the Dojo with a knife and tried to take out a bunch of guys."

Bucky's eyes widened slightly, "What? Is your brother okay?"

Mia nodded quickly, "Oh yeah, he's totally fine! The guy's name was Brendan and he was a friend of my brother's at school. Zayn gave him a job at the Dojo and he'd been working there for a while, I knew him pretty well, too. But, as it turns out, he'd been beating up his girlfriend for a few months and she called Zayn one day to tell him. He let him go, told him never to come back, and 2 weeks later," Mia shrugged her shoulders, "The idiot brought a pocketknife to kill off a bunch of trained fighters."

Bucky thought over the story and couldn't help but feel immeasurable relief at the fact that Mia's brother, a guy he'd never spoken to or met, was safe and hadn't been harmed. He knew how much he meant to her, and in the strangest of ways, there was a part of him that wanted desperately to earn his approval.

"What's he like? Your brother?" he asked curiously.

Mia laughed inexplicably, "Oh God, if you go down that rabbit hole, I don't think there's any chance you'll come back out." She shook her head, "Zayn is...God, he's so many things. He's funny and silly, and too smart for his own good." She nodded slowly, "He's brave, and _insanely_ protective, a lot like my dad in that way. And honestly...after everything he's been through, you'd expect him to have nothing but bitterness for the world." She clicked her tongue and looked at Bucky, "But nothing seems to bring him down."

"I'm sorry that you can't tell him," said Bucky, knowing that she'd understand what he was referring to. "I know you'd like to."

She nodded gratefully, "I know you guys have told me not to, but I don't think I would even if youse hadn't. If he found out, he'd be heartbroken. Not because I didn't tell him, but because he would've wanted to go with us. I don't think he could stand the idea that someone else was looking out for his own and he wasn't anywhere to be seen."

Bucky nodded and saw fleeting images of Rebecca scurry through his mind, clearly and vibrantly, as if those memories had never left him. "I get that."

Before either one could continue, the sound of an unknown ringtone went off on their table, and Mia looked around confusedly until she saw Bucky reach into his pant pocket and pull out a stylish mobile that was _definitely_ not available on the market.

" _Wow_ , that is a nice phone," marvelled Mia.

"Some Stark shit," said Bucky as he clicked on the screen to answer it. "Yeah?"

Mia watched carefully as he listened to whoever was speaking from the other side, not knowing that the contents of the conversation were directly linked to her.

"So, how's it going so far?" asked an eager Steve. "Where are you guys?"

Mia watched as Bucky's jaw clenched, "What do you want?" he asked coolly.

"I hope you understand you're taking a _dimepiece_ to dinner tonight, boy. Don't be a pussy and make sure you tell her that," said Sam loudly into the receiver. Steve added in agreement, "She looks beautiful, Buck."

Bucky's brows furrowed, "...Where are you?"

"Don't listen to Mr. Tighty Whitey over here, we don't know what she looks like tonight. We haven't seen her," said Sam in an obvious bid to cover something up. Bucky locked eyes with Mia and decided to sell out their friends in front of her, placing the phone on speaker and putting it between them as he gestured for her to lean in.

Mia smiled giddily and listened closely as Steve tried to rehash, "What I meant to say was 'she _probably_ looks beautiful', y'know, 'coz she's...I mean...respectfully, dude...she always has that...beauty—"

"What are you tryna say, Steve?" asked Bucky in the most serious tone he could conjure up while Mia was on the verge of a hysterical breakdown, with a hand on top of her mouth the only thing keeping them from blowing their cover.

"Are you guys following us?"

"Okay, listen, we weren't _following_ you," said Sam. "But homeboy told me to meet him outside Mia's apartment once he dropped you off, y'know, just to make sure you didn't need any backup getting to dinner."

Bucky rolled his eyes and Mia was genuinely biting her hand in a bid to keep her mouth shut, still only a breath away from Bucky as they were both hunched over the table. Sam continued, "But ey, listen. Why the fuck didn't you kiss her, man? Y'all were laughing and then you both went serious, and you were giving her the 'fuck me' eyes big time—"

In all his years of reflexive and agility training in the army and with Hydra, Bucky Barnes wouldn't _once_ have used it with as much haste as he did in that moment. Without another thought, he snatched up the phone from the table and effectively _bent it_ with the force of one hand, but alas, it wasn't enough to cease the destructive blabbering of Sam Wilson.

"—your chance. Listen playa, you gotta be more observant, take the moment when it—"

Without thinking, and not having noticed the horror spread across Mia's face as she realised what Sam had said, he threw the phone on the table and gave it a small _thump_ of his gloved hand, leaving the screen shattered and without life. The bustling sounds in the restaurant masked the small interruption seamlessly, but Mia and Bucky sat silent for a few moments as they both came to terms with what had just happened.

While he thought of the several different ways in which to commit suicide using only a plastic knife and a serviette, his ears thought they were failing him when the sound of laughter, _her laughter,_ met his senses. He slowly looked up at her to see a hand fixed firmly over her mouth, her eyes and nose crinkled from how hard she was laughing and her head shaking as she tried but failed to get a sentence out.

His eyes were widened and his mouth was slightly agape, not sure what had brought about such a response and never having seen her so utterly elated before. She calmed down enough to whisper-laugh the words, "That was amazing."

He let out a breath and looked down at the sad remains of his 4-day-old Stark standard phone, seeing the humour in the situation the more he looked at it. It wasn't long before they were both alight with carefree chuckles spilling from their lips, each moment spanning into the next and serving as the time of the night where they truly began to feel at ease. Within minutes of them both still examining the dead phone, their pizza arrived and they ignored the curious looks of the waiter when he beheld the mutilated mobile, with Mia telling him that she dropped in on the sidewalk to get him to shoo away.

And their dinner unfolded blissfully from there on out. As they shared their food and drink, they talked about everything and anything, ranging from their mutual love for all things dog-related, to childhood stories of Steve and Bucky, and Mia's favourite playwright. She talked his ear off about the time she'd crashed her brother's new motorbike the day he bought it, and he told her about the army vehicle he'd driven into a florist in '44. With each recollection, he got more animated and his eyes danced with the spirit of so many untold stories, memories that had waited to be spoken of for decades and were now finally being relived, with a beautiful girl and her smile the only company he needed to hear them.

"I told him not to, but he wouldn't listen. And the next day, he got his ass handed to him before it was even lunchtime," said Bucky as he shook his head. "Never fucking listens."

Mia laughed, "Maybe it's time the world figured out that Captain America isn't brave, he's just insanely reckless."

Bucky scoffed, "The word you're looking for is 'stupid'. Always has been, and ain't nothing gonna change him now."

"You still stick around though," she said unthinkingly.

Bucky sobered a little as he nodded, "Nowhere else I'd go."

She smiled softly and took another bite of her pizza, trying not to shout from the rooftops about just how darn good it was. But before she could get another word out, Bucky asked in a low tone, "Can I ask you something?"

She felt her heart stutter just a little as she wiped her mouth on a napkin. "Of course."

"When did you...How long have you..." he cleared his throat and laughed humourlessly. "When did this start for you?"

Mia took a moment to understand what he meant, but asked just to be sure. "You mean... _this_?," she said as she gestured vaguely between the two of them. He nodded, and she felt the blush that crept onto her cheeks the minute he did. "I mean...Oh God," she laughed and put a hand over her eyes. "This is gonna be embarrassing."

"No it won't," he said reassuringly. "C'mon, it's me."

And for some reason, those words comforted her more than she thought they ever could. She bit her lip nervously and laughed as she said, "It was...um, a lot earlier than you might think." She shook her head, "No, actually, can you go first? Please?" she asked pleadingly. "I promise I'll tell you once you say."

"Why can't you say it?" he asked with a smirk.

She folded in on herself as she shut her eyes, "Because I _can't_. C'mon, _please_ go first."

He shook his head and scrunched up the napkin in his hand as he leant back in his seat. "That's not how this works."

"Hey, I'm a woman, and I have to...y'know...guard my...honour?" She groaned, "Please Bucky? I wanna know."

He ran a hand through his hair and grinned, "I'm not caving."

She quirked a brow and folded her arms defiantly, "Then I'm not caving either." She sat back in her seat, "Good luck getting a peep outta me, Barnes."

He leaned in and said lowly, "You'll be singin' by the time I'm done with you."

...

...

 _I'd like to thank you all for coming today as we commemorate the life and death of Miriya Alfiyan, a young soul who was taken too soon from this world at the hands of a cruel man and his villainous charm and vile tongue and stupid smirk and—_

"Can I take your plate, ma'am?"

Mia was pulled from her reverie and rambled hopelessly, "Oh God! Yes, please, yeah, just take it—I'll pass it to you."

"Is there anything else I can get you folks tonight?" asked the young waiter, apparently very interested in prolonging his conversation with Mia.

"Just the cheque, please," said Bucky coolly.

Mia straightened up her appearance and ran a hand over her eyes to wash away the residual effects of _whatever that was_. She folded her arms on the table and asked, "So, verdict on the pizza?"

He nodded as he pulled his wallet from his pocket, "It was good. I think you liked my pizza more than yours, though." He smirked as he remembered the sight of her eating 3 of his 5 pepperoni slices, whilst he ate what was left of her pizza.

She laughed, "Oh God, sorry about that. I just didn't know pepperoni pizza could be _that_ good."

"Your bill, sir," returned the waiter. "And was everything up to standard tonight?"

Mia smiled warmly, "The food was lovely, thank you. I'd heard so many good things about this place but, y'know, there are so many pizza places around here that it's hard to get to all of them."

The waiter smiled a little douche-ily as he ran a hand over his gelled hair, "People like to think that we have competition in the area, but every other Italian joint pales in comparison to what Ray's managed to do here."

Mia's smile faltered a little and she just couldn't help herself. "I've heard Vito's down on Anastasia Avenue's pretty good."

This time, the waiter let out a full blown scoff as he replied, "The only reason they get customers is because they're in the middle of the busiest street downtown. Overrated."

" _Overrated?_ " she repeated, word dripping with disdain. "Let me tell you one thing—"

Bucky saw the anger that filled Mia's eyes almost instantly and slammed the bill-book shut as he got up from his seat, reached for her hand and grabbed her purse, before bidding a small 'thank you' to the young hot-shot and making a bee-line for the door.

Mia barely had enough time to comprehend what had happened before she realised they were outside the restaurant and back on the pavement. She heaved in and out as Bucky looked at her with a small smirk, not quite understanding how the fuck she still looked so good after having eaten half a pizza and washed it down with three quarters of a large Coke.

But hey, he wasn't complaining.

"Can you believe that guy?" she asked incredulously.

He leant her purse back to her and said, "I don't think he meant any harm."

She sighed and slung it over her shoulder, "He shouldn't talk smack about things he doesn't know about."

"You looked like you were ready to teach him a thing or two," he said cheekily.

"Hey, as far as I know, there's only one Italian place worth going to in this city, and my grandparents own it," she said as if it were the most natural thought. "Nobody deserves that mantle more than them."

Bucky shoved his hands in his pocket as they walked along the pavement lazily. "How are they? Nora and Piero?"

Mia let out a breath and smiled, "They're good. They were happy that I came back in one piece. Actually, they were talking about you guys the other day, said they were wondering when y'all would come back."

"I'd like that," he said softly.

The two of them wandered aimlessly down the busy sidewalk, passing couples and families and people walking alone as they bobbed their heads to the music of the street. It really was one of those nights where everything seemed perfect. Even at 8:20 pm, the sky was tinged with a dark blue as opposed to jet black, and the wind seemed just a bit cooler than usual. Mia smiled at passerbyer's, and they smiled back. She'd sneak glances at Bucky, only to find him already looking, and they'd both break out into the sort of grin that shouldn't come as easily as it did to people as broken as them.

Eventually, their ears guided them to the sound of a saxophone ringing from the next block, and though it was out of their way, neither one of them had to say anything as they gravitated towards it. Mia walked closely beside him as they joined the small crowd of people surrounding the saxophonist, all deeply enthralled at the sounds he was able to make with the touch of a few keys. Mia tried to get a better look and got on her tippy-toes, instinctively looping her arm through Bucky's so she didn't lose her balance.

"Oh my God. Bucky," she whisper-shouted excitedly as she tugged at his arm. She leaned in close to his ear and said, "He's playing 'Body and Soul'. Coleman Hawkins, '39 soundtrack."

Bucky looked at her with an almost reverential stare as he asked, "You know...Coleman Hawkins?"

She nodded, "Jazz was actually really big in Syria when we were growing up. We had his records and everything." She looked his way, still clutching his arm like a lifeline, "Steve told me you guys snuck into a live show of his."

A smile curled onto his lips immediately, because that had been one of the first memories to resurface since his time away from Hydra. Everything about that night was vivid, and he found himself thanking the Big Guy upstairs that he'd gotten to keep the details of what had happened on that fateful evening.

When the man stopped playing, Mia unwound her arm from Bucky's, much to his dismay, and clapped along with the others. The man bowed graciously and began talking to some of his spectators, while Mia and Bucky slowly walked their way towards the theatre.

Mia fiddled with her hands as she asked unsurely, "Do you, um...remember that night?"

He nodded, "I do, yeah. We were, I don't know, 16, 17. I remember it being amazing. Only downside was that it was in Jersey."

Mia laughed, "Y'know, I really don't understand why you New Yorkers always bag out New Jersey. I mean, I haven't been to either places, but I'm sure it can't be _that_ bad."

Bucky scoffed, "It is _that_ bad. Nothing good ever happens in Jersey."

She quirked a brow and hid a grin, "You saw one of the greatest saxophonists in history play there."

He shook his head, "Could've happened anywhere."

"True, but it _happened_ in 'New Joysey'," said Mia, in possibly the _worst_ imitation of a Jersey accent that had ever been attempted in the existence of mankind. Bucky sure seemed to think so, which is why he stopped dead in his tracks and simply looked down, only disappointment and shame written on his face.

Mia, on the other hand, couldn't contain the laughter that fell from her lips, clutching her stomach and not caring that all 32 of her teeth were on display. Bucky looked up at her and maintained an unimpressed facade, shaking his head slightly as he asked, "Why'd you do that?"

"Oh, c'mon, it was good," she smiled.

"Don't," he said softly. "Just don't."

"Hey, Mr Grumpy Gills," she teased, an air of silliness overtaking her senses without any real reason at all. "Oh my...God! That means you've never seen 'Finding Nemo'." She shook her head, "There's so much you need to catch up on."

"Finding _what_?"

"Nemo. It's a story about a fish that gets lost in the ocean but his dad goes on this wicked quest to save him—Oh! And, he teams up with this dory fish, but she kinda has amnesia so it's a little hard for her to keep up and—"

Mia stopped talking when she noted that Bucky's expression was half-amused, half-seriously-concerned-for-her-wellbeing. "Y'know, I really can't explain it so you'll just have to see it."

He nodded and looked ahead to finally see the theatre across the streets. "Is that it?"

She nodded, "There she is." They both crossed the road and fell into the mix of people scurrying along the pavement. They were still about a hundred metres away from the theatre itself, and neither one of them had known that there was a club adjacent to it. It was only as they drew nearer that they saw the long line of young party-goers waiting to go in, with a bouncer at the entrance and an _astoundingly_ beautiful club-girl there to welcome the patrons.

Mia was walking to Bucky's left, and so she was saved from being hassled by the half a dozen guys that looked her way as though she were the hottest stock on the market. She simply kept her head down and walked, a little more conscious about what she was wearing now that she was under the keen eyes of those in line. But Bucky simply returned their curiosity with glares that could've pierced skin, and though Mia was completely oblivious to it, he was about ready to dismember some ligaments when a few men started yelling to get her attention.

While they were still walking past the packed line, the club-girl standing next to the bouncer caught Mia's eye, as she probably did to every other person who saw her. Standing comfortably at 5'10 or so, she had long, blonde hair that cascaded down her back and matched her vibrant blue eyes. She had the sort of body that was deemed unattainable by most women, and the fact that she was clad in a dress that left _very little_ to imagination didn't help at all.

And then, just when Mia was about to tell herself to forget about the mystery woman, she began talking to Bucky.

"Hey, handsome. You lookin' to have some fun tonight?" she asked with a gorgeously husky voice. Being that Mia was walking slightly behind him, the woman hadn't seen that he was accompanied by someone, and Mia couldn't help but distance herself a little more when she began talking to him.

"No, thank you," he said respectfully.

"Oh, come on. I'll let you skip the line and we can show you a good time. You ever been here before?"

Bucky simply kept walking, determined to get fully past her without anymore interactions. He almost succeeded, but then she said, "The night's still young, sweetheart. 'Sin City' and I are gonna be here 'til the morning if you change your mind."

It was stupid really, but something about the situation, _the woman,_ and the general _ugh-_ ness of it all left Mia feeling a little deflated. She wrapped her arms around her body a little self-consciously and walked slowly by Bucky's side, notably quieter than before.

"Hey," he nudged her softly. "You okay?"

She overcompensated with a wide smile, "Yeah, of course." She pushed open the door to the theatre and let the glorious smell of popcorn and candy fill her senses. Whether it was the bright lights or the colourful displays, she didn't know, but something told her that wallowing in self-doubt just wasn't the right thing to do on a night as lovely as this.

Both of them made their way over to the lolly counter, Bucky's eyes almost falling out of his skull at how many choices there were for a relatively small theatre. "Fuck me, that's a lot of candy."

She laughed, "You see anything you want?"

He shook his head, "I don't even know what half this stuff is."

"Well then, I'm gonna introduce you to a combination that might change your life, just saying." She smiled at the young girl behind the counter and said, "Hey, uh, can I please grab two tickets to Aladdin, a large popcorn, some Whoppers and a Coke slushie?"

The girl got to work getting the order together, as Mia leaned into him and said, "I hope you don't count your calories and all, because there is some serious sugar-age happening tonight."

He looked down at her, "It's nice to have something sweet now and then."

She nodded and turned to face the counter, because _did he sign a contract when he was 3 years old that constituted a commandment saying he had to make everything sound gloriously sexual_?

"That'll be $25.20, please," said the girl.

Mia reached for her purse but Bucky stopped her once again.

"Buc—You've paid for everything tonight. C'mon, let me get this."

He shook his head, "I might not remember much, but my ma raised me well."

Mia's jaw slackened and she didn't know whether to laugh because he was cracking jokes or to cry because what he was saying was true. He simply looked her over with the same glint in his eye he'd had all night, everything about him telling tales of just how comfortable he was around her.

She put up her hands in surrender, "Well if you're feeling generous, I have an electricity bill and some student debts to pay off."

He handed over the money and gathered their food from the counter as he said, "Don't tempt me."

She laughed and shook her head, and they both made their way into their cinema to find their seats in the dimly lit rows. There were a few small families and scattered couples seated around them, but thankfully, everyone got their relative privacy.

Mia smiled giddily and whispered, "I'm so excited, you don't understand. I haven't seen Aladdin in _so_ long."

He looked at her amusedly, "Did you watch it a lot as a kid?"

She nodded, " _God_ , yes. You can imagine how popular it was back home, every girl thought she'd grow up to be Princess Jasmine, regardless of whether her dad was a wealthy man or a carpenter. _And_ Aladdin was the first love of my life."

He quirked a brow, "You fell in love with a cartoon?"

She waved her hand dismissively, "Just wait 'til you get a load of some of these Disney princesses, you'll be falling head over heels in no time."

Before he could blatantly refuse such an idea, Mia ripped open the packet of Whoppers and emptied it into the box of popcorn. She shook it around a little before catching Bucky's confused stare and asking, "What?"

"...What are you doing?"

"Okay, I know it looks strange, but eating sweet Whoppers and buttery popcorn together is _literally_ one of the best hidden combinations," she said confidently. "I mean, we have these things called Maltesers back home that are _way_ better, but you take what you get. Here, try some."

With a resigned sigh, Bucky scooped a handful of popcorn mixed with a few Whoppers and shovelled it down. He chewed while Mia looked at him expectantly, but he wasn't giving anything away. Instead of saying anything, he reached in for some more and swallowed that as well. When he went in for his third go without a word, Mia pulled the box to her other side and smiled, "I need verbal confirmation that it's amazing, which makes me, by extension, a genius."

He clicked his tongue, "I'm still deciding."

She sighed and put it back between them, after which he had another serving, but before he could get a few words in, the world-famous Disney sign came up on screen, and their 2 hour tour of an animated Arabia began.

For all that she had been nervous about before the date had begun, Mia couldn't think back to a time where she'd felt more at ease with someone on a night out. They were lazed next to each other in spacious seats, with the arm rest that was between them pulled back to make space for the popcorn. The movie began and Mia felt the most wondrous pang of nostalgia as her favourite scenes began to flow, from the glorious musical numbers to the interactions between all of her beloved characters.

Bucky had come into the cinema without any deranged expectations as to how amazing the film would be. But it didn't take more than 10 minutes of its commencement for him to be well and truly engrossed, and for someone who'd seen more than a few films back in his day, that was saying something. He saw Aladdin as a young, witty layman whose life had been ridden of luck for most of his years. And when the beautifully wide-eyed, long-haired Princess made her way on screen, Bucky understood almost immediately what Mia had been talking about, because _wow, she is a treasure._

Any moment between Jasmine and Aladdin quickly became his favourite. He found himself laughing when Aladdin pretended to be her brother in the market, and feeling sadness at the Princess' inability to make choices about her own future. There were even moments that spoke to him on an unbelievably personal level, and the first of many was when Aladdin described Jasmine to Genie.

"Pretty?" asked Genie.

"Beautiful!" exclaimed Aladdin. "She's got these eyes that just—And this hair, wow—And her smile," he lulls his head to the side as he gushes her praises. Meanwhile, Bucky couldn't find it in himself not to sneak a glance at the woman beside him, smiling giddily at the screen as though nothing made her happier than to see someone talk about Jasmine in such a way. The bright reflection of the film lit her eyes with dancing colours and added to its wonder, and it well and truly was a moment he wouldn't forget.

As the film spanned on, both Mia and Bucky – mostly Bucky – ate to their hearts content and slurped away at their frozen drink. The 'magic carpet ride' came around, as did the many musical numbers and hilarious Genie sequences. The two of them found parallels in the way Jasmine and Aladdin sat on rooftops and bathed under starlit skies, away from the worlds they were both trying to escape. It was frighteningly familiar, and every now and then, Mia and Bucky would share looks that spoke louder than words could as to all that was on their minds.

When it finally came time for Aladdin to save his Princess from the wretched Jaffar, Bucky was so incredibly invested in the film that he stopped eating and paid his undivided attention to the screen. Having forgotten a lot of the storyline herself, Mia watched with the same closeted excitement as the common, unworthy street rat saved the girl of his dreams, freed the Genie and lived happily ever after with the bounties of his new life. It was beautiful and uplifting and _perfect_ in so many ways, leaving everyone in the cinema with the same message; it all turns out alright in the end.

When the movie finished, both Mia and Bucky looked at each other with the lights down low, breaking into small smiles and waiting for the other's reaction.

"So?" asked Mia excitedly. "What'd you think?"

Bucky swallowed and paused before answering, "Did I just fall for a cartoon?"

Mia let her head fall back on the seat as she laughed heartily, adding between small breaths, "Did I tell you or did I tell you? How gorgeous is she?!"

He nodded, "She's beautiful." She regained her wits and met his gaze as he said lowly, "Strong. And brave."

The smile slowly fell from Mia's face as she realised how close they were, their knees touching and his eyes half-lidded, with nothing but sincerity written in them as he spoke.

He swallowed. "She's perfect."

And all of a sudden, Mia wasn't quite sure whether he was still talking about the Princess. The box of popcorn between them all but forgotten, Mia's lips parted as she felt him inch closer _just a little_ , hesitance in his demeanour and doubt riddled with every movement. She found herself leaning in too, and in her mind, this was it. It was finally time, and they'd get to share in a moment that meant more than either one of them quite understood.

...And then the _fucking_ lights came on.

"Can all patrons of the theatre please collect their rubbish and place it in the bins at the exit. We thank you for your cooperation, and we hope you enjoyed your time here at Sunset Theatres," said a bored sounding voice over the P.A. system.

Mia and Bucky stayed as they were, neither one of them making an effort to move but both equally frustrated that this had happened _again_. With a small smile, Mia said, "I think we should get going."

Bucky nodded stiffly and let out an indecipherable sigh. They both heaved themselves out of their seats and grabbed their stuff, making their way towards the exit at a languid pace. Mia took a sip of the slushie and offered the rest to him, which he stole without hesitation.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that you _loved_ the popcorn and Whoppers combo," she said as she discarded the thoroughly empty box.

He shrugged and feigned indifference, "It was alright."

She squinted her eyes, "Just alright?"

He nodded with a small smirk, "It was okay, I guess."

She nudged him with her elbow softly and laughed, "You're such a liar."

He broke into a smile and put his hands up in surrender, "Alright, alright. It was good. Real good."

She nodded, "There you go." They walked past the bathrooms and Mia asked, "Hey, can I meet you outside? I'm just gonna duck in really quick."

He nodded, "I'll get us a cab." Without another word, he made his way out of the theatre, while Mia did a complete self assessment in the full-length mirror of the bathroom. She wiped at her eyes, after a few tears managed to shed during the scene where Jasmine's dad is taken hostage, just as they always did. She patted her lips over with some lip balm and straightened out her skirt, really taking the time to fully see herself.

Confidence had never quite been her strong suit. There were times when she could fake it beautifully, and other moments where she wished that the Earth would somehow swallow her whole so no one would have to look at her fail her way through life.

But so much had happened. After going to Syria and living through the experiences that she had, she'd gained a renewed understanding of who she was. She'd somehow managed to embody beauty among a crowd of the wealthiest people in the country, had adapted to every situation that was thrown her way in an environment she wasn't familiar with and had faired _seamlessly_. She'd done so much, and so much had happened _to_ her, and if that wasn't reason enough to believe that she was valuable, then nothing was.

Somehow, for the first time in a long time, she looked in the mirror and saw a woman who not only strived to be powerful and beautiful and courageous, but had streaks of those qualities within her. And for all she knew, there was a man outside waiting for her who seemed to agree. She might not have been _all that_ , but she was enough.

With a small smile and a surge of bravery sparking through her veins, she grabbed her purse and made her way out and into the foyer. She hastened her way to the exit and pushed the door open, seeking out Bucky as quickly as she could, and for as long as this courage lasted. It took a few moments, but eventually, she found him near a cab and seemingly...talking to someone?

Lo and behold, she found the same club-girl from earlier in the night having a conversation with him, and by the looks of it, she had a very clear objective in mind. Even from afar, Mia could see the way she laughed a little too exaggeratedly when she spoke, and the way she tried to accentuate her _assets_ as she stood sultrily. If she'd been able to see him clearer, she'd have known that he didn't look too keen on his unexpected visitor, but in that moment, Mia only saw red.

It would've been easy for her to scamper away quietly, or wait for their conversation to end before she made her timid re-entry, but it just didn't feel right, and after the sort of night she'd had with him, her next move was the only thing that made sense.

Without another wisp of hesitance, Mia stepped one high-heeled foot in front of the other and walked towards him with all the confidence she'd had at the Ambassador's party, except this time, none of it was for show. The club-girl all but forgotten, Mia focused solely on him until he heard her coming, and she'd forever remember the look on his face when he got an inkling of her intent.

As she neared him, every other sound in their midst fell quiet. The cars bustling by, the buskers on the street, the Central Clock chiming; none of it could be heard over her heart beating in her ears. He took his hands out of his pockets and his eyes widened as the girl clad in white and black sauntered his way, not showing any signs of stopping as she took her last few steps. She looked like a vision of glimpses he'd seen in her, and he found himself wondering if what he was seeing was really happening. But when she finally closed the distance between them, there was no doubt of his reality, and in that moment, he knew that Heaven couldn't have felt much better than this.

Considering how long it'd been for either one of them, everything was second nature once their lips finally touched and her arms wound around his neck. It didn't take him a moment longer than necessary to let his hands splay across the small of her back, bringing her in closer and revelling in the sweet taste of her lips.

They moved without desperation or haste, both clutching to that moment as though they would never get it back. Mia's hand slipped onto the nape of his neck, and her other came to rest on his chest when a lack of oxygen saw them reluctantly pull apart. At first, neither one of them opened their eyes, but rather, simply let out short breaths in the small space between them. Slowly, Bucky let his eyes flicker open as he pulled back a little to look at her in all her glory, her tanned skin alight with a furious blush and her lips quirked up in a small smile.

She shook her head, " _Hal hadhaan haqiq?_ (Is this real?)"

She opened her eyes and met his, both looking through half-dazed lashes as he replied, " _Ida kunt turid an takun_ (If you want it to be)."

She simply nodded, the silliest of smiles overtaking her features and her eyes falling shut as she stood, still in his arms, while the city slowly came back into focus.

"You lovebirds wanna get in anytime soon?" asked the _probably_ 80-something-year-old driver through his window.

"Oh, yes, we do, sorry!" said Mia hastily. The two of them fell apart and Bucky opened the door for her, Mia sneaking a look at the club-girl's sour face after witnessing the entire ordeal. To add an extra touch of flavour, Mia sent a sweet smile and little wave her way, basking in the annoyed look she received in return.

Mia gave the man her address and they were no sooner on their way back home. Seated in the middle with Bucky right next to her, she was finding it a little hard to come to terms with what had just happened, fleeting or not. Bucky was in a similar boat, but neither one of them could quite express that when the cabbie started up a conversation with them.

"So, where you folks from?" he asked good-naturedly.

Mia shook herself a little, "Sorry?"

"You have a lovely accent," he said as he looked at her through the mirror with his thickly-framed glasses. "And you were speaking in a different language earlier."

Mia smiled, "Well, thank you. I'm from Australia, but we were speaking in Arabic before."

Suddenly, the man let out a toothy smile and exclaimed, "Oh, I love Arabia. I had some fun over there in my younger days."

Mia asked conversationally, "Really? Whereabouts did you go?"

"Now, let me see. I spent a while in Singapore, a few weeks in Thailand too. It was beautiful."

Her smile faltered a little as her brows furrowed in confusion, "I'm not sure that's in Arab—"

Bucky tapped her leg and shook his head with a grin, egging her to play along. "You ever been to Asia, pal?" asked Bucky.

"Oh, sure. Before I got this gig, I spent a few years in 'Nam working for Stank Industries. Didn't get paid too much, but those were still the glory days."

" _Stank_ Industries?" asked Mia.

"Yeah. You know, the weapons fella. Wears a fancy costume these days, but his father was a straight shooter if I ever knew one."

Mia's eyes widened, "You mean _Stark_ Industries? You worked there?"

"By Lord, I did. Met my first two wives through the job, too," he said happily.

Mia sent Bucky a 'holy guacamole, what were the odds?' kinda look before saying, "Wow. Well, that's amazing, sir."

Mia thought they'd elapse into silence once more, but little did she know that their friendly cabbie had a barrage of stories to tell them on their 10 minute trip back to her place. "Actually, I remember a time in '77 when I had to get a tooth taken out at the army base, and..."

Regardless of how they might've wanted to spend their cab ride back, they both listened quietly to the old man's strange and wonderful stories, adding 'ooh's and 'ah's wherever they deemed fit. The poor guy didn't seem like he had very many customers who heard what he had to say, and Mia wasn't about to complain when everything had gone so perfectly.

"—but I told him, 'Don't tell the Colonel!'" said the man as he pulled up in front of Mia's apartment building, doubled over with laughter at his own story and happy as ever to have two people listening as well.

Mia smiled and shook her head as Bucky lulled his on the back of his seat. "That was...just, wow, sir. Thank you very much, Mr...?"

The man extended his hand through the little glass partition, "Lee."

"Mr. Lee?"

He nodded, "But please, call me Stan."

Mia nodded, "Well, it was lovely to meet you, Stan. I'm Miriya Alfiyan, and this is Buck—" she caught her tongue before she spoke any further. "...Bucket...Burns..."

She closed her eyes, still bad at lying as ever. Mr Lee turned to Bucky confusedly, "Bucket?"

Bucky nodded slowly, "...It's French."

"Ah. Well, you folks have a fine night, you hear?"

"Actually, I'm just gonna drop her to the door but I'll be back," said Bucky.

Mia smiled outwardly at chivalry she was unaccustomed to, but was admittedly a little deflated at the fact that their night had drawn to an end. Bucky leapt out of the cab and held the door for her, reaching his hand out and pulling her from the car.

She thanked him, and instead of letting go of him completely, curled her hand through his arm as they made their way up the grandiose stairs of her building.

The entrance came all too soon, and when they stood in front of one another, it felt different to any moment they'd had before.

"I had...God, the best time tonight," said Mia as she fiddled with her fingers. "Thank you so much for the food and the movie and...just everything," she said with a laugh.

Bucky nodded, hair still in that traitorous bun and eyes still blue enough to cause serious brain trauma. He swallowed before asking, "Can I see you again?"

Mia let out a smile as she put a strand of hair behind her ear, "I might have to think about that."

He smirked, "Yeah?" He inched a little closer, and suddenly the smile vanished from her face because she thought he'd lean in just a tad further to close the distance, but just when he was a breath away, he said, "I'll give you some space, then."

And with that, he made a step back down the stairs, but not before Mia reached out for his arm and laughed, "No, no, no, okay. I thought about it, and I think I should give you another chance."

He smirked, "You sure? 'Cos I won't bother you anymore if you don't—"

He didn't get to finish his sentence, and neither one of them objected when Mia crashed her lips onto his, effectively the best way to get someone to stop talking when that someone was _him_. His hand came up to her cheek and hers rested comfortably at his neck, their lips moving in sync while all other senses fell into a frenzy.

But it ended all too soon, with Mia drawing away and sending him a sure smile as she retreated towards the entrance. "You wanna drop by on Sunday with the team? I could make us some dinner."

He shoved his hands in his jeans pocket, "Sounds good."

She pushed the button to open the glass doors and declared, "6:00. Don't be late."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

And with that, Mia turned her back to him for the last time that night, walking across the lobby while Bucky stepped his way back to the cab. Both a little lightheaded and dazed, it wasn't until Mia was back in the confines of her home and Bucky phased out Mr Lee's continuing stories that they found themselves alight with a feeling they shared wholeheartedly.

 _So, this is what it feels like_.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes: Heeeeyyaaaaaa everybody! First off, customary apology for not updating the last few weeks. College. Is. Not. Fun. PERIOD. But I managed to finished this chapter in time for today, and I can't wait for you guys to read it. Just wanted to say the BIGGEST FLIPPING THANK YOU to you guys for reviewing each week, seriously I cannot explain how much happiness it brings me and it's the biggest motivation for me to keep writing. Annnnnnnnd also sending the FLUFFIEST and warmest airhugs to Opie for the MINDBLOWING review you left. Wow. Seriously brought me to tears (why am I like this?). Every single thing you wrote made me feel so incredibly fortunate to have people that actually read this story and are able to take away a little something from it. I know EXACTLY what you mean when you say that it's tough to feel connected to your culture when it's lost so much of itself through time. But I assure you, you're so much more than the culture that you're born into, and the fact that you're able to see beauty in people from all corners of the world is something I adore you endlessly for. Thank you, thank you, thank you, my friend. Only love,**

 **\- Missy xxx**

Chapter 17

Cloud 9.

It wasn't really something that Mia had experienced before. In her mind, Cloud 9 was a bit of an unrealistic way of saying that _everything_ in someone's life was going perfectly at that given time. She supposed it might've happened to some people, but she'd never really picked herself as a person of the world who'd experience that high.

But, as fate would have it, Miriya Alfiyan would get to live through her own little dose of the feeling. When she'd bid goodbye to Bucky on Friday night, there wasn't a single bone in her body, nor cell in her brain, that wasn't _frazzled_ in the best of ways. She fell asleep with a literal smile on her face, and woke up the same way. The phrase 'skip in her step' took on a whole new meaning, with Saturday morning filled with 2 hours of non-stop singing and whimsical dancing to the soundtrack of every love song she'd ever heard.

She cleaned the house with fervour and did all the chores she normally hated with a painfully persistent smile on her lips. Dishwashing, vacuuming, mopping; nothing could get in the way of the fact that James Buchanan Barnes was sweet on Mia, and Lord help her if she didn't share the feeling tenfold.

Throughout the course of Saturday, she found herself replaying all her favourite moments of the night – and there were _a lot_ of them – without a smidgen of embarrassment. They'd broken bread together, listened to music with twined arms, and witnessed one of the greatest love stories in cinema on the big screen side by side. The way he'd looked at her, smiled at her, listened to every useless thing she'd had to say as if it was all his ears could bare...it was too good for an odd sort like her.

And eventually, her mind would meander back to the part of the night she could least fathom, as if a kiss was among one of the rarest occurrences to happen in our society. She'd taken a chance, and by some miracle, he hadn't pulled away. He didn't grimace at her touch, nor did he ask her to stop. In fact, it took mere moments for him to hold her in a way few people had before, allowing their union to be as mutual as it was selfish. And regardless of the many instances during the night he could've chosen to leave, he'd stayed.

 _He'd stayed._

The entire day had gone by, and Mia had spent most of it ridding her house of every speck of dirt and making sure it was presentable for when the team came for dinner. She knew they'd already been to her place a few times before, but she hadn't been prepared for _any_ of those visits, and it really wasn't the way she wanted things to go down on Sunday.

In the midst of all that, she'd tried to get a hold of Mel about 11 times, but apparently they were having one of their worst electricity outages in recent decades that week. She was the one person she wanted to divulge _everything_ to – well, not including Zeyn, but big brothers don't need to know the things that were going on in her mind – and the longer she went without telling someone, the more her brain was starting to fry.

As she began to wind down on Saturday night, she got up lazily from the couch when her phone sounded, only to find that none other than Sam Wilson was calling.

She answered with a smile, "Kwik-E-Mart, this is Apu speaking."

"That's cute, but I've got an axe to grind with you," he said seriously.

Mia furrowed her brows, "...Well, that sounds awfully sexual."

He ignored her and asked instead, "What the fuck have you done to him?"

She took a bite of her Twizzler, "Done to who?"

"Your boy Vladislav," he semi-shouted. "He's been smiling all damn day, hasn't threatened to kill me since morning, _even made a joke_." He paused for dramatic effect, "Since when does this motherfucker make jokes?!"

Mia smiled toothily but kept at her never-ending quest to annoy Sam. "You do know he's not _actually_ Russian, right."

"I don't give a fuck if he's from Russia or the Republic of Congo, you tell me what the hell happened last night. He's creepin' me the fuck out like this," he complained.

"Hey, why are you asking me? I didn't do anything," she defended. "And as far as I remember, you were the one who was pushing him to make a move more than anyone."

He sighed, "You don't understand, I get 4 months of this dude brooding around like he's got a rod up his ass, and all of a sudden," he claps loudly through the receiver, " _Boom_. One night with you and he's Pee-Wee fuckin' Herman."

Mia laughed at a volume that probably deafened Sam before she said, "I'm telling you, nothing happened. We had dinner, went to the movies, he dropped me home. And then I told him to bring you guys over for dinner tomorrow, simple as that."

Sam paused for a few moments before asking lowly, "Y'all didn't 'get jiggy', did you?"

Mia almost spluttered out the Pepsi she was drinking, "I'm glad you think so highly of my honour."

"Hey, ain't nothing dishonourable about bumpin' and grindin' on the first date. Just gotta make sure it's with the right person. Y'know, double check they ain't some weirdo or a phony...or your ex-girlfriend's little sister, no matter how fine she might seem in a strapless blue dress in your car," he said unthinkingly.

Mia squinted her eyes in confusion, "...Where are ya' going with this, Sammy?"

He quickly rehashed, "All I'm saying is that if this fool was just after some poontang to cure his grumpy ass, then somebody sure as hell should've told us that earlier."

Mia blinked slowly, "Did you just use the word 'poontang' in a sentence?"

"I ain't apologising for it."

Mia shook her head, "Okay, I'm choosing to forget everything you just talked about because you need to answer something! What the hell should I cook for you guys?"

Sam sighed, "Whatchu got in mind?"

Mia opened up a Kit Kat and took a generous bite as she said, "I don't know whether to go for ethnic food or traditional food."

"Is that even a question?! If we wanted chicken sandwiches and mashed potato, we'd make it here. Nah girl, make some of that spicy-Aladdin-couscous-paprika shit," he said excitedly.

Mia shut her eyes and sighed, "...I don't even know what that means, Sam."

"Listen, whatever you make, make _a lot_ of it. I don't know if you know this, but these motherfuckers are crazy, they go days without making any proper food, just live off of almonds and shit. It's sad."

Mia laughed, "Alright Mrs Fields, I'll make a whole lot for you guys to take away. Any other requests?"

Sam thought for a moment, "Nah, I'm good—Actually, wait the fuck up! You owe me a new Stark phone, girl."

Mia's eyes widened, " _I_ owe _you_ a new phone?! Are you kidding me?!"

"If you hadn't been around, your boyfriend would've just hung up as opposed to turning it into a hockey puck. I leant him that for the night, man," he complained.

She laughed at the realisation that it was, in fact, _Sam's_ phone. "C'mon Wilson, you _totally_ provoked him. What else was he supposed to do?"

"Uh, maybe click the 'End Call' button, _like a normal person._ And he shouldn't have had it on speaker to begin with."

Mia shook her head, "You shouldn't have let him know that you were following us!"

Sam sighed, "Look, all I'm saying is that I don't wanna use this shitty old one anymore. I need a new phone. And I can't just call up Tony Stark to get me one, so for all intents and purposes, you're gonna have to reimburse me. And yes, I will accept dates with your hot college friends as a form of repayment."

Mia laughed but relented, "Alright, alright. I'll see what I can do."

Just as she finished her sentence, she felt her phone begin to buzz against her ear, only to look and see that Zeyn was calling her as well.

"Hey Sammy, I gotta go, my brother's calling. But I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes, you will," he said confidently. "Catcha, girl."

"Night, Wilson." Mia quickly hung up and answered her brother's call, finding it a little odd that he'd be calling her past 11:00. "Wassup, broseph?"

"Hey, bug. How're ya doing?" he asked a little loudly.

"I'm good. Where are you? It sounds like you're in a carwash."

He laughed, "Nah, just standing next to a coffee machine, that's where the rumbling's coming from. Hey, I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot," said Mia as she shut off the lights in the kitchen and headed for her room.

"Where are you gonna be tomorrow night?" he asked conversationally.

She laughed, "Um, at home. Why?"

"I wanted to do a Skype session, I'll have some time around then. It's been forever since I've seen you, kinda forgetting what you look like."

"Oh man, yeah sounds awesome. Wait, tomorrow's Sunday, so aren't you gonna be at _khaala_ 's?"

"I went yesterday after work, dropped off some more medicine," he said. "Her flu lasted a week longer just because she wouldn't take the antibiotics. You know how she is."

"When did you say _khaalu_ was getting back from his trip?" she asked.

"Sometime next week. Have you spoken to either of them lately?" he asked seriously.

Mia replied sheepishly, "Not since before Turkey. But I promise I'll do it tomorrow."

"Alright, but don't forget. You give her more reasons to be upset with you by not calling."

"Yeah, I know," she admitted. As she settled in beneath the covers, Mia glanced at the clock and knew that she should relent to the call of sleep while it lasted, before she spent the rest of the night restlessly waiting for it to come back. "Bro, I gotta get to sleep. But I'll Skype you tomorrow, hopefully the video quality won't make you look uglier than you already are."

He sighed, "I was almost missing you, and then you opened your mouth." He laughed softly, "Alright then, I'll catch you tomorrow."

" _Laylah saida_ , _akhi_ ," she bid.

" _Laylah saida_."

X

The following morning was filled with all the pleasantries of having guests over that Mia adored. She went down to the Sunday markets near the bridge and bought fresh produce, along with some bread and garnishes she'd need to accompany her dishes. Because she'd be cooking traditional Arab food, she made a stop at the local Middle Eastern deli and stocked up on all the spices and seasonings she couldn't find anywhere else, complete with traditional drinks that would complement the dishes beautifully.

By the time she made it home and began cooking, it was 1:00 in the afternoon. There were 4 different dishes to be made, and none of them were particularly _easy_ , which was why she almost had a heart attack when she realised that 2 hours had gone by without her having started the meals.

Switching into 6th gear, she furiously began to get the biggest elements of each dish out of the way, while marinating the chicken and preparing the dough for her homemade Afghan bread. Once that was done, it was time to break out plates and cutlery she hadn't really had a chance to use since she'd been in the States, with the most people that ever came over being Mel and a few girls from college.

It was a little strange to be able to do this again, host a dinner where she was _genuinely_ excited about the company who'd be attending. It seemed a little mundane when she thought of what Steve and Nat were used to, but maybe they were in need of some normalcy just as much as Mia was.

She thought about these things as she kept at work, cleaning odd places here and there while keeping an eye on her simmering food. It wasn't long before 5:30 rolled around, and Mia found herself with a dilemma of epic proportions; _what in the hell am I gonna wear?_

She seemed to be having this problem a lot more since Bucky had come into her life. The other outfit she'd bought before her date was just too flashy for something as lowkey as a dinner. As she stood in her humble walk-in cupboard, she eyed a pair of high-waisted jeans and a thin, tight sweater, both of which were immeasurably comfortable, but did well to make her look _not homeless._

After she whipped her outfit on and put on her usual minimal makeup, Mia decided to put her hair into an easy half-up braided crown, leaving messy wisps at the front to frame her face and, quite frankly, loving how it looked. With a contented sigh, she went about her last minute touch-ups of the house until she heard the apartment's phone ringing.

She raced over to it and said, "Hello?"

"Open up, it's Uncle Sam," said Sam.

Mia smiled, "Sorry, I don't know anyone by the name of 'Uncle Sam'."

He paused. "If you ain't letting me in, I'm taking Uncle Buck to the strip club down on 14th Avenu—"

Quick as anything, Mia clicked the button to open the entrance of the building, and if she had to guess, Sam was making some wise-ass crack about how easy it was to get to her. Realising that she had less than 2 minutes before they made their way up, Mia rushed back into her room and did a once over of herself.

"Okay, you're gonna be fine," she said aloud. "Look at you, you look great! And it's not gonna be weird. Your outfit rocks, your hair looks nice, you—Oh shit!"

She ran to her cupboard and spritzed on some of her favourite perfume, spraying a _teeny_ bit in her hair as well, before running a hand over her face and whispering, "You can do this."

She repeated those words like a mantra towards the kitchen, and all the way up until she heard a knock on the door. Readying herself, Mia let out a deep breath and walked slowly towards it, declaring one last time that she 'could do this'. Plastering a smile on her face, she opened the door, only to behold a sight that made her realise;

 _I can't fucking do this_.

She was just starting to get used to Bucky wearing his hair in a low bun, which was enough to send her neurons into momentary neurotic fits. But then, just when she really thought that it couldn't get much worse for her than that…he'd decided to take a throwback to the '40s.

There he stood next to Steve, with his hair cut only a little longer than it had been in the photos Mia'd seen from his army days. It was messily combed back, looking nothing short of a man from the 21st century, with his blue eyes shining in stark contrast to his dark features. He still wore that cursed scruff like a prize, and if Mia wasn't already on the verge of an early grave, his recent inclination to wear clothes that weren't 14 times too big for him put the nail in her proverbial coffin.

Realising that she was standing in her own doorway gaping like a fish seeking water, Mia quickly shook herself a little and let a genuine smile spread across her face. She opened the door wider and said, "Well, come on in, guys."

"I don't know what you're cooking, but I could smell something beautiful the second I stepped onto this floor," said Sam as he inhaled. He leaned in to give her a side hug, "How you doin', girl?"

"Better now that you're here," she joked.

He eyed her, "Yeah, yeah." He looked over her shoulder towards the kitchen, "God _damn_ that looks good. What do we have here?" he asked as he walked his way over to the bench, examining the contents of the spread closely.

Nat was the next to walk in, greeting Mia with her signature smirk and a box of strangely foreign chocolates in hand. "Google says it's polite to bring chocolates to a dinner party."

Mia laughed as she took the box from her, "You really didn't have to. Wow, this looks…insanely fancy." She turned the box over in her hand, "You shouldn't have gone to the trouble."

Nat grinned. "I didn't. Nicked it from Stark's plane."

"Ah," said Mia. "You should've gotten 12 of them, then." She smiled as Nat walked passed her, leaving only Steve and Bucky dawdling near the entrance. "Hiya, Cap."

He nodded, "Thanks for bringing us over." He smiled his trademark smile, "You can only have Chinese takeaway so many times."

"Not at all, I'm glad you guys could make it." She laughed, "I was worried it might be a little hard to fit in between the whole 'Avenging' business and all."

He smirked, "Gotta eat." He walked towards the others and joined them in the kitchen to inspect their dinner, leaving Mia turning nervously towards Bucky, only to find him somewhat waiting for her reaction. She smiled widely and asked, "You cut it?"

He nodded slowly, "Still recognise me?"

She grinned, "Couldn't miss that brooding if I tried."

He cracked a smile and relaxed at the ease she still spoke with, which for some reason, he'd expected would have gone after their date. He shut the door behind him and walked up to her while she herself took a step towards him. Not paying any mind to the fact that the others were just partially obscured from sight, she only hesitated for a moment before tippy-toeing herself up to his cheek, laying a small kiss just above the scruff of his jaw. As she wound down and stood still in front of him, she smiled and said, "I love it."

He locked his gaze with hers and tried not to feel too overwhelmed by the normality of his situation, saying, "Yeah?"

She smiled, "Yeah." She let her eyes glaze up to his hair and noted, "Got a bit of a James Dean thing going on, y'know."

"Fury said I needed to change up appearances," he said resignedly. "Too recognisable before. Can't take any risks."

She nodded, "Do _you_ like it?"

He shrugged, "It'll take a bit of getting used to." He let his eyes gloss over her briefly before saying, "You look beautiful."

She shook her head as she smiled, "Don't let Wilson hear you, or he'll tease your ear off about it 'til next summer."

Bucky looked past her shoulder to make sure Sam wasn't facing them before leaning close to Mia and saying, "He has a weekly subscription to 4 women's fashion magazines under his mom's name." Bucky leaned back and revelled in the look of pure excitement that spread across her face.

"You're joking," she said. "There's no way that's possible."

He smirked, "Hand on heart."

Mia swivelled around on the spot and looked Sam's way, while he tasted the sauce that was simmering on the stove and called out, "Holy Jesus, what'd you put in this?"

Mia gave a last knowing look to Bucky before walking towards the others in the kitchen. "That's the marinade for the _shish tawouk_."

Nat looked appraisingly at the _dolma_ which sat in a neat pyramid shape next to the rice. "Sushi?"

Mia shook her head, "It's _dolma_ , they're stuffed grapevine leaves."

"Where'd you learn to make all this?" asked Steve curiously.

Mia went about getting the dinner mats out of the cupboard. "I used to watch my mom make a lot of it when I was younger, then after that, my aunty taught me some things. Some of my closest friends in Sydney were Palestinian and Israeli, and their food's pretty similar to ours. Their parents never shied away from giving a cooking lesson or two."

Sam raised a brow, "Palestinian _and_ Israeli?"

Mia smiled, "Just 'cos two governments hate each other doesn't mean their people do."

Sam nodded, "Fair enough." Nat, Steve and Bucky lingered near the fireplace and looked at the few photos Mia had put up there, while Sam asked her, "So, how about Fabio's new hairdo? It's pretty clean, right?"

Mia sent him a look over her shoulder as she emptied the rice onto a platter. "Where did you guys go to get it cut?"

"Didn't go anywhere. I called over my boy Freddie, he runs a barbershop down in Maryland. Had him come to the house, got to work in the bathroom."

Mia nodded, "But…what if he'd recognised him?"

"Freddie's 78 years old and is partially blind in his left eye," said Sam matter-of-factly.

Mia blinked slowly, "…Is he really the best person to have a pair of scissors near someone's face?"

Sam waved dismissively, "He's been doin' my hair for 33 years, and I'm still standing."

Mia nodded and laughed, "You're a strange, strange man, Wilson."

"Really? Two supersoldiers and a Russian assassin in the same room, and _I'm_ the strange one?" he asked incredulously.

She winked, "It's the plain ones you gotta watch out for." She wiped her hands on her kitchen towel and declared, "Alright, dinner is ready. Hey, can you help bring this stuff?"

And with that, Sam brought a few dishes over to the table, while Mia showed Bucky where to get the drinks from in the fridge. Even though it was just a haircut, it still took her a moment every time she looked at him to get used to the sight, and to remind herself that _it was him._ Steve and Nat settled into their seats, looking on with closeted excitement as dish after dish was presented in front of them, each one as colourful and foreign as the next.

Mia stood behind her chair and waited until everyone was tucked in before explaining each dish to her friends. "Alrighty, so we have some _kabsa_ _lahm_ , which is spicy rice and lamb. The _shish tawouk_ is a little on the chilli side, for anyone that isn't too into that. I told you guys about the _dolma,_ they have rice and herbs stuffed in them. Uh, here we have some _kofta_ , which we eat with the Afghan bread. There's some _couscous_ with a saffron garnish, and lastly, _fattoush_ with a _hell-of-a-lot_ of olive oil in it."

The others simply stared at the dishes for a long moment, before heeding her urge to dig in, excitedly passing around each dish to the person next to them. Mia looked on with a wide smile, but just as she was about to join them in her seat, she remembered that she'd forgotten the most important part of her dessert; the sugar syrup.

"Oh my God," she said with a hand over her eyes. "I totally forgot to get the _ater_."

Sam put the _shish tawouk_ platter down and asked, "What's that?"

"It's the syrup we need for the dessert. Agh, I can't believe I didn't get it," she said as she shook her head.

Bucky added, "It's okay. We can have it as it is."

She clicked her tongue, "It doesn't taste right without it." Just when she thought she'd have to take a trip to the deli herself, she remembered, "Oh! I'll just call up the Lebanese place a few streets away and they'll deliver it. Yes, okay, excellent."

And with that, she dashed to get her phone from her room, calling over her shoulder, "Keep eating guys!"

She quickly dialled their number, hoping desperately that they wouldn't be closed on a Sunday. But the stars fell in her favour, as an old man answered almost immediately and agreed to her order of 2 bottles of _ater_ and 3 boxes of _baklava_ , only at the cost of it arriving in more than an hour's time. Pocketing her phone, Mia walked back to the kitchen to rejoin the others and was blessedly surprised to see each of them in varying states of amazement.

As she took her seat, she asked tentatively, "Is it okay?"

Steve and Nat finished their mouthfuls dumbly while Sam stared at his food and chewed, for the first time, a little speechlessly. Bucky, on the other hand, looked up at Mia as though he was having the religious experience of a lifetime, and the way her skin flushed under his stare was a dead giveaway as to how much she felt the same.

"How?" he asked quietly as she sat in front of her.

She laughed softly, "What d'you mean 'how'?"

"There's still time to 'fess up and tell us if you got all this from a store," said Sam. "We won't judge." He paused, "We will, but that's not the point."

Mia laughed and shook her head, "I'm taking that as a compliment. No, I didn't get it from a store, I just…I don't know…made it."

"Mia, this is…" said Steve as he finished another spoonful, "This is something else, kid."

"I've had Arab food before but," said Nat, "This might be the winner."

Mia smiled widely and put a piece of hair behind her ear, "Well, I'm chuffed you guys like it it, thank you." She dished out a little bit from each plate onto her own and dug in, internally beaming at the fact that every item of food had turned out just a little better than she'd hoped for.

They sat in a comfortable silence for the first serving, no one really willing to disrupt the glorious flow of food by speaking. But as a few more minutes elapsed, Mia found herself asking out of curiosity, "So, what are you guys up to these days? Dinner parties on weeknights, as well?"

Steve wiped his mouth with a serviette and replied, "Unfortunately not too much of that happening." He nodded slightly, "We've got a couple of missions lined up, but nothing's too concrete yet. For now, just working on a few leads in a new case."

Mia nodded and asked lightly, "More Serbian terrorists in Syria?"

He looked her way and shook his head with a sad smile, "Some trouble in Germany. Could be something, might just be noise. We won't know for a while."

Mia nodded and let the silence elapse once more, each person asking for one dish to fill their plate or the other. Sam was the next to ask, "So, when's your graduation?"

"June 21st. So, a little more than 3 weeks from now," replied Mia.

Sam nodded, "And your brother's gonna come for that?"

"Yeah, but I don't think for very long. He doesn't really get to take many days off," said Mia a little quieter than she intended.

"How long has it been since you saw him?" asked Steve.

"Last time was when he came to help me get set up here," she said. "So, a little more than a year ago."

Bucky watched on and Mia turned his way to send him a small smile, trying to say 'it's not a big deal'. But he could tell it wasn't like that, and that it was one thing she'd love to change. If it were up to him, he'd do whatever he could to make sure she never had to force a smile like that again.

"So, guess what these guys watched last night?" asked Sam excitedly.

Mia turned her head and smiled, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid?"

Sam rolled his eyes, "No, man. 'Psycho'," he said with a smile.

Mia looked to Bucky with wide eyes, "You watched 'Psycho'?! Oh my God, did you like it? It's a total classic."

Bucky took a sip of his drink before saying, "It was good. Haven't really, uh, seen anything like it before."

"I knew a guy named Norman Bates once," said Nat. "He got hit by an armoured truck."

Steve simply shook his head while Mia's eyes widened. "Did he…die?"

Nat nodded as she brought the glass to her lips, saying nonchalantly, "He got typhoid 2 years later."

Bucky and Steve went about eating their food while Mia and Sam shared a look that roughly translated to 'seriously, what the fuck is up with these people?'. It wasn't long before Mia was refilling the platters with more food from the pots in the kitchen, only to have her phone start buzzing in her pocket while she was juggling the plates in her hand.

Without taking note of the Caller ID, she answered, "Hello?"

"Tell me everything!" said Mel through a frazzled connection. "I'm _so so_ sorry that I haven't been able to get through, but this frickin' power outage's lasted longer than anyone expected."

"Mel! Oh my God, you're alive!" said Mia with a goofy smile. "It's no worries, you just kinda, sorta, left me in my hour of need, no biggie," she teased.

"You can make me feel shit all you want later, but right now, I need _details_!"

Mia laughed, "Okay, okay. Um, they're kinda here at the moment, but I'll go to my room and—"

Before Mia could finish her sentence, an annoyingly loud static sound blared through the phone and she lost connection with Mel, leaving her calling her name for the 15 seconds that followed.

"Ugh, dang it," she said. Shoving her phone back in her pocket, she balanced both platters and carried them into the living room, met with Bucky asking, "You okay?"

She looked at him and nodded, "Yeah, Mel just called. They've been having this power outage for the last few days, but we just lost connection again." She placed the dishes down in front of them and asked, "Did you guys want anything else? Steve, you've barely had anything."

He laughed and said, "I haven't tried the…uh… _sous tarmac_ yet."

Mia giggled, "The _shish tawouk_?"

" _Sous tarmac_? C'mon man, don't butcher a thing of beauty like that," complained Sam.

Steve put his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry. Arabic isn't really my strongest language," he admitted.

Mia laughed as she dished out some chicken for him. "Hey, speaking of which, how many languages _do_ you know?"

Steve took the plate from her and replied, "We learnt French and German in the army, and then after the ice, got to know some Greek."

Mia's eyes widened, "Oh my God, you know 4 languages. Jesus," she turned to Nat, "Can you top that?"

She smirked, "How does 9 sound?"

Mia's mouth fell open, "Like the biggest lie you've told."

She laughed softly, "Russian, Serbian, Welsh, French, German, 2 Amazonian dialects, Aztec symbology and Yiddish."

The entire table fell quiet while Mia couldn't decide between falling to her feet in worship or being rather surprised that Yiddish was actually a language.

"…I can say 'I am not a prostitute' in Korean," said Mia unthinkingly. When she was met with only confused stares, she clarified, "I had this bad run-in with an exchange student one time."

"…What were you wearing that made him think you were a prostitute…?" asked Sam tentatively.

Mia cleared her throat, "…It was a 'she'…".

Bucky furrowed his brows, not quite understanding why a Korean woman would assume that the girl in his life was of that profession, but if he was being honest, it was hardly the strangest thing he'd heard from Mia.

"Oh wow, that is…" Steve sucked in a deep breath as he reached for his cold drink. "That chicken is spicy."

Mia watched as he guzzled down the drink but was shocked to see his skin take on a shade of red she'd never seen on him before. Before she knew it, he was reaching for the water jug and pouring himself another glassful, pulling a little at the collar of his shirt as he swallowed it whole.

"You alright, Cap?" asked Sam in half-amusement, half-concern.

Steve nodded with the glass still at his lips, but Nat replied, "C'mon Rogers, it's not that bad."

"He can't do chilli," said Bucky with a small grin on his face. "Even pepper's a little too much for him."

Mia's eyes widened, "Oh my God, I'm so sorry, I didn't know." She got up and headed to the kitchen, "I'll get some milk, it works better than water."

With a small run, she snatched the chilled milk from the fridge and rushed it back to his side, ignoring him as he shook his head in refusal. "It's fine, I don't need—"

"Steve, you look like a Cheeto. Here," she poured the milk into his glass, "Trust me, you'll feel better."

Taking her word for it, he downed the milk in one go and wiped away what was left from his mouth, taking a deep breath and feeling all the better for it.

"Better?" asked Mia with a small smile.

He nodded, "Yeah. Wow, it tastes amazing, I just…I'm not too good with chilli."

Bucky scoffed, "At least you didn't fracture a rib this time."

Steve looked at him plainly, "Life's not easy when you're 90 pounds and allergic to paprika." Bucky let out a laugh to which Steve said, "It's even worse when your friend just laughs for 10 minutes instead of calling an ambulance."

Bucky raised his brows, "It's what you deserved for watching 'King Kong' by yourself."

"You were on a date with two girls!" complained Steve. He quickly looked to Mia and clarified, "He'd never do that now."

She simply nodded dumbly and continued listening to the two of them engage in the sort of banter one would only hear amongst brothers. Each one of them talked animatedly about the story they were recounting, both trying to prove that they were in the right. Sam and Nat added in their two cents, trying to flesh out the correct order of events, while Mia simply sat and watched in awe of the scene unfolding before her.

"So, you're saying that he had two fine ass women waitin' for him at a bar downtown, and he should've ditched _them_ to go watch a movie about a gorilla with you?!" asked Sam incredulously. "I hate to say it, but Tin Man did the right thing by going, son."

Bucky added, "He left out the part where I told him to come with us. Two girls, two guys, it made sense."

Steve rolled his eyes, "Janine hated me."

Bucky wiped his mouth on a serviette, "She didn't hate you."

"No, she _told_ me she hated me. Said I was the reason she couldn't get a date with you," he pointed at Bucky.

Bucky's brows furrowed, "What?"

Steve shrugged, "Y'know, said we…hung around too much."

Sam nodded in agreeance, "Well, she ain't wrong, God rest her soul. Y'all are hella gay."

Bucky lulled his head back and said quietly, "Here we go."

"I'm serious. If Steve changed his name to Stephanie, we'd have a classic love story on our hands. Two best friends, did everything together, get separated during the war. Then _bam_ , they reunite a whole bunch of years later, and it's as if they never left one another."

Mia entertained the notion in her mind, and couldn't help but hear reason in all that Sam was saying. "I can see that," she said aloud.

Bucky snapped his head in her direction, "Please don't."

She squinted and gestured, "It's a _little_ gay."

He shook his head, "Why are you doing this?"

Nat chimed in, "Looks like Mia has some competition."

"Y'all gonna fight to the death? Winner wins the fair maiden's heart?" asked Sam to Steve and Mia.

"But I'd totally lose that, I'd need some supernatural powers. Oh! Or maybe an Ironman suit. I wonder who'd win that fight," said Mia.

Bucky closed his eyes and let out a breath, "Where're you going with this?"

The others ignored him as the conversation diverted into Captain America vs Ironman territory, with Sam, Nat and Mia hashing out their theories and Steve and Bucky taking the time to gorge on some more food.

And just like that, half an hour led to an hour, and the group found themselves laughing over food as they spoke about everything and anything that came to mind. It all happened so easily, without any forcefulness or pressure. The dynamic that they'd managed to build was something Mia had never had before, and she sure as hell knew better than to take it for granted.

Mia and Nat tapped out after 3 servings, while Sam stopped at 4 and Steve and Bucky _somehow_ got to 7. Mia had always known that their appetites exceeded those of normal men, but _7 freaking servings? Really?_

She got a kick out of it though, and nothing quite made her feel as good as Bucky complimenting her cooking as though it was the best thing he'd had the pleasure of tasting. He insisted on helping her clean up, while she urged the others to take a seat in her living room. Stacking the dishes in the washer wasn't as glamorous as their last time alone together might have been, but she'd take what she could get.

She rinsed a plate and passed it to him to stack. "Where'd you guys watch 'Psycho'?"

He looked up at her, "Couldn't sleep last night, so Steve showed me how to work the cable."

She smiled, "You and Steve like watching movies at midnight often, or…?"

He gave her a look that sent more than a few chills down her spine, "Don't start."

She bit her lip and laughed, "Alright, alright." She passed a cup to him and remembered an unfinished conversation that they'd had on their date. "So, you, uh..." she cleared her throat. "You feel like caving yet?" she asked with the sort of smile that most men would fall a little weak at.

It didn't take more than a moment for him to catch on, as his lips upturned, "You know I can't do that."

"Oh, c'mon. Okay, at least tell me _around about_ when it started for you."

He sighed and stacked another plate, "I don't know..."

"Okay, was it...in Turkey?"

He shook his head, "No."

She squinted her eyes, "Was it the night of the mission?"

Again, he shook his head. Mia absently rinsed the plate and thought hard, because surely he couldn't have been feeling this way about her for _too_ long. "The night the city had the celebration?"

He smiled a little at what was a fond memory for him, but shook his head once again. "Name one good reason why you can't tell me first," he said.

She tipped her head back and laughed, "Because it's embarrassing." She gave the last plate to him and said, "It was _a while_ back. You're gonna be weirded out."

He shut the washer and wiped his hands with a tea towel, standing square in front of her as she leant her back on the bench. "Try me."

More than aware of their sudden proximity, Mia gulped and let her eyes flicker down to their feet. With a sigh, she said, "It was the night of the party." She looked up at him and shook her head, "I was freaking out over everything after we left the mansion and you took me outside, promised me that everything would be okay." She let her eyes lock with his as she spoke, "Told me my people would be safe. Just you saying that, being there…" she swallowed, "I knew."

Bucky felt his throat go a little dry as she spoke with all the vulnerability she usually didn't show. Without a moment's hesitation, he revealed his truth. "The night you dreamt of your parents."

Mia's mouth fell open, because that had been _before_ the party, and God knows she hadn't expected that answer. Nevertheless, he continued.

"Just that day, you wouldn't stop talking about those damn sandwiches," they laughed softly, "You were so happy. But seeing you hurt like that at night," he nodded slightly, "I wish I could've taken it away."

"It wasn't your burden to bear," she said with a sad smile. "You didn't have to stay, but you did."

Unthinkingly, she let her fingers twine with his, both of them cherishing this moment of honesty they were allowed with one another. Without a thought, Bucky brought his forehead to hers, with both of their eyes fluttering shut at the touch. There, in the middle of her kitchen in her humble apartment, they grew a little closer than either one of them could have fathomed.

When they stayed like that for a few moments, Mia let a coy smile spread across her face as she noted, "So, you kept it from me longer than I kept it from you?"

He leant back and brought his hands on either side of her against the bench, boxing her in and saying lowly, "Only by a day."

She shook her head, "Still counts, Barnes. That's an entire 24 hours more than me."

"But I made the first move," he reasoned.

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly, "That took you long enough as well."

He quietened and brought his face just a little lower to hers, boring his eyes into her own as he said, "I'm sorry I didn't say something sooner."

Letting out a nervous breath, she replied, "Well, we're here now, aren't we?"

His lips upturned as he sneaked a glance at hers. "Yeah."

With only a breath's worth of space between them, it didn't take more than a shared look for their bodies to react like clockwork. He leaned in slowly and kept one hand steady on the bench, while the other found its way to her hip. Simply, and without calculation, he allowed himself the indulgence of coaxing her in for a kiss, and her reaction only heightened its rush.

She brought a hand to the side of his jaw as her lips welcomed his, falling slowly into one another in ways they hadn't shared with people in their pasts. It was all so natural, so fundamentally human, and when she let her arms wind around his neck and crept closer to him…well, a dinner party was hardly the best time for them to be caught in such a situation.

They drew apart to share deep breaths in the space between them, only to see each other smiling in the kind of way that shaved years off of their faces. Without words, they inched closer and started all over again, not meaning for their kiss to take on a heated edge but finding that it happened nonetheless. All of a sudden, Mia's hand was in his newly shortened hair, and Bucky's metal hand hovered softly at the small of her back, bringing her in a little closer with every passing moment.

For Mia, she couldn't remember the last time she'd had the chance to _feel_ so much at the expense of a few simple kisses. She'd been with people she was attracted to before, but somehow, those times seemed to pale in comparison to all that he brought to her senses. There was nothing rushed about the way his lips moved against hers, just the taste of someone who wanted this just as much as she did.

Without much thought, Bucky let his hand slide a little further up to her waist, lost in a feeling he hadn't felt since another life. He found that everything about her, the smell of her hair and the delight with which she responded to his every move…it was nothing short of intoxicating.

But much to their dismay, it took the sound of Sam's unrelated laughter from the living room to stop them in their tracks, pulling away just a little as they were slowly brought back down to Earth with the realisation that they weren't alone.

Mia smiled and kept her hands at the nape of his neck as she let out a ragged breath, "Oh, wow."

He laughed softly and took in her flushed features. "Yeah."

With a silly smile, she admitted, "I don't know why, but I was just about to say 'thank you'. I won't say it, though." She paused and felt herself cringe, "…Even though I've kind of already said it…"

He laughed and she semi-died at the fact that she could get a reaction like that out of him. "Not very traditional, but I'll take it," he said as she reluctantly unwound her arms from his neck.

They fixed their shirts and took a moment to appraise each other. In the strangest way, in those few minutes, something in the air had changed between them. They could tell by the way they looked at one another, and the stories their eyes told that their words couldn't. The glint in his eye and the curve of her smile said that this was just the beginning, the beginning of something neither one of them could wait very long for.

With another roar of laughter sounding from the living room, Mia and Bucky wordlessly decided to head back and join the rest of the group. Before stepping over the kitchen's threshold, Mia quickly stopped Bucky and flattened out the hair she'd done well at ruffling, smiling sheepishly at him as he let her card away at his locks. Once she was satisfied, she looked in the reflection of the microwave and made sure her hair hadn't been too messed up either, and led the two of them back to their company.

Sam had helped himself to Mia's yearbook from under the fireplace, and was currently having a ball going through all the photos she'd sought to hide from human eyes for the last 5 years. As he noticed them make their way back into the room, he said, "I didn't know it took that long to put 5 plates in the washer."

Nat and Steve were lounging comfortably on the couches next to the television with drinks in hand, both eyeing the two of them with knowing looks on their faces. "You okay, rookie?" asked Nat.

Mia nodded quickly and hoped to God that the furious blush on her cheeks had settled. "Yeah, of course. Just…loaded the dishwasher."

Sam scoffed and mumbled, "Ain't the only thing you loaded."

Before Mia could say anything in retort, she noticed the yearbook that Sam had strewn open on the carpet, and she felt her eyes widen to inhuman proportions. "Please don't tell me that's my—"

"Your yearbook? Yeah, it is. Loving the blonde streaks, by the way."

"No, oh my God, _Sam!_ " Mia leapt her way across the living room to try and snatch it from him, but he moved it further away the closer she came.

"Girl, you were _chunky_. Had too many of them Tim Tam thingies, didn't you?" teased Sam.

She was betrayed by the laugh that fell from her lips as she tried to reach out and grab it from his hands. "Wilson, I will destroy you and everything you love. Give it."

Sam simply got up from his seated position and walked behind the couch as he said, "Was this your prom date? Girl, you could've done better."

Before Mia could get to him, Sam was striding towards Bucky and shoved the yearbook in his face to show him a photo. "You better thank the Lord for puberty, boy."

Bucky brought the book a little further from his eyes to get a better look, ignoring Mia's protests altogether. A smile curled on his lips as he saw a 17-year-old Mia, a good 20 pounds heavier than she was now, smiling her trademark toothy smile, clad in her school uniform. Her skin wasn't perfect and she hadn't quite grown into her features at that point, but it was still _her_ , and he adored it.

Nat came to look at the photo from behind Bucky's shoulder. "That is an impressive transformation."

Before Mia could even try to get a word in, Steve joined Sam, Bucky and Nat behind the couch to inspect the photo. "Oh, _wow_."

Admitting defeat, Mia curled up on the side of the couch and put her face in her hands, "I'm moving to Kazakhstan."

"Hey, you don't look that bad. It's actually sorta cute, y'know," said Sam in an effort to comfort her.

"I knew I should've poisoned the _kofta_ ," she said quietly.

"Alright Osama, let's take it down a notch," said Sam. "You should be happy. You're a dimepiece now, and everyone loves a good transformation story."

Mia tried to glare daggers at him. "Not when you start out looking like Shrek."

Steve furrowed his brows and turned to Bucky quietly, "What's a 'shrek'?"

Bucky shrugged, "I think it means 'fat'.

Nat rolled her eyes, "It's a character, dumbass."

Both Bucky and Steve shared an 'oh' moment, before closing the book and taking their seats again. Bucky came to sit next to Mia on the cosy two-seated lounge and handed her the book with a cheeky smile. "You looked good."

She nudged his ribs and tried to contain her own smile as she said, "You're so full of it."

He sat down and put his arm behind the back of her seat, allowing himself to enjoy the homeliness of what was transpiring. Still not _completely_ recovered from their impromptu _hubbity-hubbity_ session in the kitchen, Mia herself felt almost giddy at how comfortably he seemed to be adjusting to their new relationship, _whatever it was_. It took a little while, but eventually she'd managed to calm down enough to engage in the group's usual spouts of strange conversations.

"—it's humanly impossible," said Sam.

"Okay, but what I wanna know is—And I totally understand if you can't tell me, but…" Mia bit her lip. "Is that really Thor's hair?"

"It's hard to believe, but," Nat nodded, "100% Asgardian locks."

Mia fell back in her seat, unknowingly resting her head on Bucky's arm as it fell there. "How? Just… _how_?"

"The dude has a boomerang-lightning-hammer, and you're tossing up whether his _hair_ is real or not?" asked Sam.

"I was the same," said Nat.

"Me too," said Steve a _little_ too quickly. "I mean…Y'know, I thought it was a wig—Not that I paid much mind to it, but…I mean, it's good hair."

Before Sam could make a smartass comment, Bucky shook his head and said, "You're making it worse for yourself, Rogers."

Thankfully for Steve, Mia's phone began to ring and all eyes fell to her. The Caller ID showed Mel's name and Mia knew she probably wouldn't get time to talk to her again if the outage wasn't fixed.

"I'm just gonna take this real quick. I told the guy on the phone that I'd kept the building entrance unlocked, so the delivery guy will probably be knocking on the door any time now," she said as she leapt out of her chair and towards her room. "I'll be right back!"

And with that, the 4 remaining super-people were left alone in Mia's living room, stuffed with more food than they'd had in a while and more than a few thoughts in mind.

"So, you made a move yet, playa?" Sam asked Bucky.

"You two seem awfully cosy, snuggled up on the same couch," noted Nat.

Bucky looked at her, unimpressed as ever. "She was just sitting next to me."

"And if we weren't around, something a lot more exciting could've happened," she replied with her annoyingly knowing smirk. Steve grimaced like he didn't really want to hear about that, while Sam added, "Man, this shit ain't fair. You don't have to win anyone's approval. Don't have to impress her dad or smooth-talk her brother. It's too easy, man."

Bucky reasoned, "She didn't have to do any of that either."

Sam laughed humourlessly, "Boy, she had to convince half the Avengers that she wasn't a nutcase. You think Cap and Romanoff would be chilling on just anybody's couch like this? The fact that we're even here right now is because she's proved herself at every damn corner."

To that, Bucky found that he had no reply. As much as it may have annoyed him, Sam was absolutely right. From the beginning, the onus had been on Mia to earn the team's trust. No one but Sam had been sure that she'd come through for them on the mission when all this had begun, not even Steve. They'd taken a chance, and by some miracle, she'd met every challenge with grace and loyalty, proving beyond doubt that she was worthwhile.

But Bucky, on the other hand, hadn't had to show anyone but her that he was deserving of her time. For reasons unbeknownst to him, she'd seen something worth cherishing in him, and had decided to run with that. There wasn't anyone in her life that could've warned her about him, or the dangers that might come with being around him. With her brother in another continent and her closest friend thousands of miles away…Bucky had gone through it all untested.

Sure, he could get Steve or Nat to vouch for him. But it just wouldn't mean the same thing coming from people who hadn't known her for majority of her life. He didn't deserve her, that much he knew for sure. But garnering the approval of her brother, the one person who loved her more than anyone, seemed like the only way of knowing whether _whatever_ this was could be anything like what he'd hoped it to be.

Mia was still in her room yapping away to Mel when she heard the knock on the door. She went out towards the living room which was mostly obscured from the front door, and asked Bucky, "Hey, can you just get the door, please? It's the delivery guy, I'm just gonna grab some money."

He nodded and got up from his seat, making his way over to the door with his left hand shoved in his pocket. The last thing that he needed was for a news story breaking out about how the Winter Soldier was still in D.C. and apparently had an affinity for Arab desserts. With the others hidden behind the partition that divided the living room from the entrance, Bucky opened the door and was met with, _who he thought,_ was the delivery guy.

"—smell the _kofta_ all the way from….here," said the man with a faltering smile.

Bucky stood still at the door as he looked over the guy in front of him. They both eyed each other warily before Bucky asked unsurely, "Did you…bring the…stuff?"

The man, who stood without any delivery bags or shirt signifying that he was from the restaurant, furrowed his brows. "Who are you?"

Bucky looked him up and down, "Who are you?"

The man shook himself a little. "Am I at the right apartment?"

Bucky paused, "Are you here from the Arab restaurant?"

The man looked down at the clothes he was wearing, a freshly ironed formal shirt, new expensive-looking trousers and a pair of polished shoes. "Does it look like I'm from the Arab restaurant?"

Bucky took the chance to _really_ look at him, and the answer should've been bleedingly obvious from the get go. The man stood at a comfortable 6'0, with tanned skin and grey, almond-shaped eyes that looked disturbingly familiar. He wore a beard that just surpassed the 'scruff' stage, with short black hair framing his lean face. The longer the two had a staredown, the more apparent it became.

… _.Oh._

Meanwhile, Mia was fumbling around with her wallet as she walked out of the room, her phone still at her ear. "God, it was just mind-blowing," she gushed to Mel.

"You think there's gonna be any 'ba-donk-a-donking' happening any time soon?" asked an excited Mel.

Mia was just about to respond when she made her way towards the front door, only to see Bucky standing at it with a confused expression. When she peered over his shoulder to see what had him so perplexed…it all made sense.

"No," whispered Mia.

"No? There isn't gonna be any 'ba-donk-a-donking?" asked Mel through the receiver. "C'mon Mia, don't doubt yourself. Get in there!" She paused, "Actually, you can't get in there. I mean…get _it_ in there? I don't know how to put it, but—"

"Mel, I'm gonna call you back," said Mia with a most dazed sounding voice. She hung up without paying any mind to the phone as she walked towards the door. "You're—I'm... _No._ "

"Not the reaction I was hoping for," said Zeyn with a small smile.

Without another moment's wait, Mia launched herself at her big brother and engulfed him in _possibly_ the tightest hug he'd ever received. " _Woah_ , hello," he laughed, "Hey, bug."

He held onto her tightly, not knowing that there was a time not too long ago where he could have lost her. Mia clung to him with all her might, not fully allowing herself to believe that he was _there_ and she was with him.

She let him go only to pull him into the house, quickly grabbing Bucky's hand with the other and unknowingly leading them into full view of her other guests – the ones she'd _completely_ forgotten were there.

"How the _hell_ are you here? I thought you didn't get any days off? Zeyn, I'm," she laughed, almost on the verge of happy tears, "I can't believe you're here."

He smiled, "I asked Roy if I could get a few…extra…" he trailed off. Mia's back had been turned to Steve, Nat and Sam, which was why she couldn't see the varying looks of surprise on each of their faces as they realised that her brother had arrived.

Instead, she got to see Zeyn's face pale a little and all semblance of competence leave his being as he gazed upon not 1, but 2 and a half Avengers, all seated in his little sister's living room.

"…Are you seeing this?" he asked Mia quietly.

With horrified, widened eyes, Mia turned around and tried but failed to formulate a sentence about 6 times. "Ehm…Yes…Well—Zeyn, these are…you know who they are…um, I'm just—"

Before Mia had a chance to make a grander idiot of herself, Nat got up from her seat and sauntered her way towards Zeyn, as cool and composed as ever. "And you must be the famous brother that we get to hear so much about."

To his credit, Zeyn wasn't a novice when it came to talking to women. By the time he'd made it to high school, he'd developed into his features and had made a name for himself as the handsome, exotic kid in class. Fate had been much kinder to him than Mia during his younger years, with girls taking an instant liking to his easy-going, charming personality. He was easy on the eyes, and that matched with his athletic background, allowed him to carry himself with confidence, never cowering in the face of a challenge.

But on a scale from 1 to 10, Natasha Romanoff was usually an 89.7 on most people's radars, let alone someone who hadn't expected in the least to be meeting her that night. Trying his best to seem functional and able-minded, Zeyn managed to string together a few sentences that _somehow_ didn't disappoint too horridly.

"I'm starting to think Mia knew I was coming. She got together quite the welcoming party," he said, still a little dazed.

Nat quirked a small grin. "You don't seem overly impressed."

Zeyn smiled a little, "The green guy's my favourite."

"Well, I guess that runs in the family, then," said Nat. She extended her hand and introduced herself, "Natasha Romanoff."

He shook it while maintaining eye contact, and Mia could practically _hear_ every thought scurrying through his mind. "Zeyn Alfiyan."

Steve and Sam made their way towards him as well, each with warm smiles on their faces. "Sam Wilson, how you doin'?"

To that, Zeyn broke into a wide smile and did a bro-clap/hug combo with him as he said, "Man, Mia's told me all about you. You've done a lot for her since she's been here, I really appreciate that."

Sam shook his head, chuffed at the acknowledgement nonetheless. "Didn't really want a sister, but the sucker just won't leave me alone anymore." He shrugged cheekily, "Might as well put up with it."

Zeyn laughed, "I know the feeling, man." He turned to face Steve and extended his hand, "Wow, it's…an honour to meet you, Cap."

"Pleasure's mine," he replied graciously. "We've heard a lot about you."

He laughed and looked Mia's way, "That must've been some morning run, huh?"

Mia smiled and remembered that the only mention of Cap she'd made to Zeyn was that he'd met her at the restaurant and during her one-off run. Shaking her head, she simply replied, "You have no idea."

Bucky was standing next to Mia, still a little confused by the situation himself. Thankfully, he still had enough presence of mind to slip on his left glove while Zeyn had been chatting with the others, and by the time he got to Bucky, he seemed just as oblivious as ever. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, man."

Bucky shook his hand, and knowing that Mia could lie about as well as he could cross-stitch, kept to the truth when it came to his name. "Bucky."

Zeyn nodded and took brief notice of the glove, as well as the closeness with which Mia and Bucky stood. He wasn't stupid, especially not when it came to his sister, but the time for interrogation would come later.

Mia, on the other hand, had about 284 questions that needed instant answering, and she couldn't wait another moment. "Where are your bags? Have you eaten anything? When did your plane get in?"

Zeyn shook his head quickly, "I can't stay, Mia."

Her face faltered in an instant. "What do you mean?"

The others settled back in their seats while Mia and Zeyn spoke a few metres away. "I wanted to swing by here first so you knew I was in the country, but I have another flight to New York in 2 hours. The Muay Thai Association's holding their exhibition there tomorrow, and _sensai_ asked if I could attend in his place last minute."

Mia complained, "But you just got here."

He clicked his tongue, "And I'll be back in 3 days."

She let out a sigh. "I can't believe you didn't tell me you were coming."

Zeyn pointedly looked at the company currently sat on her sofas. "You've been keeping a thing or two from me as well, kid."

She smiled and ran a hand over her face, "I promise, it makes a lot more sense than it seems."

"I'm still not entirely sure that all this is really happening, and I was tryna keep my cool, but my blood pressure is around 160 at the moment," he said with a nervous smile.

Mia whispered, "Good work with Widow. I made a total goober of myself the first time I met her."

He nodded, "Don't worry, I'm probably gonna cry on the plane."

Mia laughed and shook her head, still not quite believing the strange turn of events that had taken place on such a night. "God, I'm so happy you're here."

His eyes sobered and he replied in kind. "I missed you, kid."

She leaned in for a hug, the same big brother's hug that she'd gone a year's worth of bad days without. "Zeyn?"

"Yeah?" he replied quietly, still hugging his little sister closely.

"Please don't get HIV while you're here. Health care isn't free in the States," she said into his shoulder.

"You've taken the entire fun out of this trip," he said.

With a laugh, she let him loose and put a piece of hair behind her ear. "You sure you don't want some food? I made some _shish tawouk_."

He shook his head, "I can't, M. But I'm gonna be back in 3 days, and I'm expecting nothing short of a banquet." He paused, "And a fucking explanation as to why the Avengers are in your house."

"You got it, loser," she smiled.

He turned one last time to the other guests that sat in their midst. "Well, uh, I'm gonna have to talk to my weed guy because I don't know what the fuck he put in it. I really don't think this is happening." Steve, Sam, Nat and Bucky each let out small smiles while Zeyn continued, "But it was a treat meeting you guys, and, uh, I guess I might see you around."

"Oh, you'll be seeing us, homeboy," said Sam.

Zeyn laughed, "Alright, guys. Goodnight."

They all replied in unison, and with that, Mia was dropping her brother off at the front door, whilst simultaneously taking the desserts from the _actual_ delivery guy as he waited for his tip. With one final goodbye, she shut the door and leant on it, strangely tired after the entire ordeal, and not sure of the reaction she'd get once she re-entered the living room.

When the group came back into view, Mia felt the need to clarify, "I swear _on my life_ , I didn't know he was coming today, or else I never would've asked you guys here." She burrowed her face in her hands and laughed defeatedly, "I'm so sorry."

"What the hell are you talking about, girl?" asked Sam. "He was chill as fuck. Seems like the kinda guy that can stomach a secret."

"Mia, it's really not a problem," comforted Steve. "If we wanted to leave, we could've gone when we heard him talking to Buck."

Nat added in, "He's cute."

Sam rolled his eyes while Bucky simply said to Mia, "Hey, don't worry about it. It's better this way." And he meant it, because in his eyes, the less she had to lie to her brother, the easier everything would work itself out.

Mia let out a breath, still a little unsure as to whether or not the group was fully okay with all that had transpired. But when she looked Bucky's way and found a small smile on his face, and a firm nod of his head to say _it's okay_ , she felt better almost instantly. She nodded in understanding and was about to go join him back on the couch, when Sam said what was on everyone's mind.

"Can we eat the fucking dessert now, please?"

X

 _Laylah saida_ , _akhi_ – Good night, big brother.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes: Hiiiiyyyaaaaa beautiful people! Hope y'all are doing A1 this weekend and are living it up in your respective hometowns. Managed to get this chapter done on time, but I feel like I need to put a warning here. There are a few trigger moments towards the middle-ish, and though nothing's in detail at all, I don't want any of you guys to be distressed by it. There's really brief talk about domestic violence, and I don't wanna say 'it's not that big of a deal', because no matter how mild, it's ALWAYS a big deal. But, besides that, I really hope you guys enjoy it, and I can't wait for you guys to read what's to come!**

 **Annnnnnnnnnnnddddddddd I think it's about time we just start conversation-ing through PM, but I am the biggest novice when it comes to the FanFic site, like** _ **wow**_ **. But, to Opie,** _ **dear LORDIE**_ **, I can't explain how much I needed that. Once again, I seriously have no way to reply to your kind words, they mean so much more than you'll ever know. I really,** _ **really**_ **hope you reconsider about not publishing any of your work, though. Like, FORREAL GURL, I feel like you'd kill it, and as long as you're happy with it (and your inner perfectionist is ALSO happy with it :')) it'll be bloody amazing! But again, I'm just so insanely chuffed at all that you wrote, and though I'm not Syrian myself, it's a culture that's insanely similar to mine, and one I've grown up around my whole life. Genuinely some of the most incredible, kind-hearted people I've ever known, and they've only ever enriched the communities I've been a part of. Especially in this day and age, I hope they come across people like you, who are willing to give them a chance at a clean slate. Praying that only goodness reaches you, and can't wait to hear from you in the future! Much love,**

 **\- Missy xx**

Chapter 18

All in all, it'd been a shitty day.

In Mia's mind, Sunday night had pretty much set the bar as the greatest evening of her adult life. Not only had she spent her second date(ish) with Bucky in the comfort of her own home, surrounded by the ever-entertaining company of her friends, but _then_ , her brother had shocked her with what had been a most beautiful surprise. The food had turned out perfect, and the company was just right…and to Mia, there weren't many things that could've made the night any better.

After Zeyn had left that night, the team went about having dessert and wasting away another hour or so. Throughout it all, Bucky and Mia found themselves partaking in an entirely different level of stolen glances and nervous laughs. With things happening the way that they were, it seemed that each time they met, they grew a little more aware of the other's presence. Each time she'd speak, his attention would fall not only to her words, but to the way her lips moved when she said them, and how the small dimple in her cheek deepened whenever she laughed too hard. With that _blasted_ haircut in constant view, Mia replayed a few too many times how nice it had felt to card her fingers, even briefly, through his locks, to the point where she began to visibly blush when Sam was halfway through his story and she hadn't taken in a word of what he'd said.

But with the team around, there wasn't a chance in Hell that they'd get to do half the things floating through their minds. And though their plans were to stay for a while longer, a call to Steve's phone saw them rushing out of her house the minute he received it. She just barely had enough time to pack a few take away containers and send them off with Bucky while the others waited at the car, but Lord knows their hasty goodbye kiss hadn't been nearly enough to satisfy either one of them.

Monday had gone by in a flash, and Mia had only gotten the chance to speak to Zeyn for a few brief minutes. Her mind wondered to what the topic of Steve's phone call had been, and why it had required so much urgency that they couldn't leave a few moments to spare. When would she get to see them again? When would she get to see _him_ again? She could always call Sam and ask, but the last thing she wanted to do was become a nuisance in the face of their responsibilities.

So, that's why by the time Tuesday came along, Mia was already in a bit of a downtrodden mood. She woke up that morning feeling tired and a little sluggish, not really knowing the reason why. She had training at 8 that morning, and for some reason, she just wasn't feeling it. It was her second session since she'd gotten back from the mission, and though she was going through drills and combinations she'd done thousands of times before, her heart just wasn't in it.

By the time her dismal session came to an end, she had to rush to, what she thought, would be an easy afternoon shift at Vito's. It was only when she got to work that Nora asked if she could take over for Luca that night, because he had his soccer semi-finals. She said yes in a heartbeat, even though waiting tables until 10 at night was the last thing she wanted to do, but Nora could've asked her to move to North Korea and she'd be packing her bags within minutes.

The afternoon shift went by slow enough, but by the time the evening rush kicked in, Mia was sure she'd never had to work so hard at the restaurant before. She easily served over 100 people in the span of a few hours, helping Nora and Tracey with the copious amount of lasagne and bolognaise that had to be packaged for the hungry people of Anastasia Avenue. And while she was at it, something happened that had _never_ happened in her days of working before; not one, but _two_ people had complained about the food.

How _anyone_ could find fault in Nora's cooking, Mia didn't know. They were the usual tasteless food-Nazis who complained about things like 'there's too much cheese in my lasagne', when they were _literally speaking to the people who invented cheese._ But, as expected, Mia dealt with said cheese-oppressors in a kind and orderly fashion, beyond careful not to ruin the good name of Vito's Coffeehouse. A few dozen cleaned tables and mopped floors later, Mia thanked the Heavens when 8:00 passed by and she was finally at the homestretch of her shift.

Only, apparently the hardest part hadn't yet come. Mia was used to dealing with pervy, creepily sexual customers on a not-so-often basis, but they'd never really got to her. She'd either ignore them or make a witty remark to put them in their place, and though she hated it happening, she'd learnt how to manage people that went down that road.

But, alas, that all changed when a group of 4 fresh-out-of-college business dudes walked into the store, with their ties loosened around their dry-cleaned formal shirts, and horridly smug grins plastered to their faces. Their presence was heard immediately when they arrived, creating the sort of raucous someone would expect from a bustling restaurant as opposed to one that only had two other patrons in it. Mia had been putting some of the desserts back in the chiller when she heard them, immediately praying to the Lord that she got through the rest of the night without a semblance of drama.

… _Yeah, nah, that's not gonna happen._

Fixing a warm smile on her face, she made her way past the counter and grabbed 4 menus.

"Good evening, fellas. Table for 4?" she asked pleasantly.

The one she suspected to be the leader of the group replied with a deceptively charming smile, "4's good."

Ushering them over to a table clad in a freshly ironed tablecloth, Mia let them settle in before placing a menu in front of each of them. "I'll give you guys a few minutes to decide, just holler if you need anything."

They all thanked her in unison, and Mia figured they seemed nice enough as she walked back to the kitchen, not knowing that they were all gawking like vultures at her ass as she left. As she went to the chiller to grab a glass bottle of water, Nora walked in behind her and put her grandmotherly senses to good use.

"Your face is not smiling today, Miriya," she said knowingly.

Mia turned to her and smiled a little too widely, "If this ain't me smiling, then I don't know what is, Nora."

Nora nudged her softly on the arm, "This is fake smile. You make real smile and then we'll talk."

Mia laughed a genuine laugh for the first time that day and shook her head. "I'm just really tired, I promise."

"Why you tired? You been doing too much," she punched the air in the cutest old-lady way possible, "Boom boom, boxing."

Mia laughed, "No Nora, it's not the 'boom boom boxing'. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night, and I'm paying for it now."

Nora pursed her lips, "Well, your big brother's here now. You got no reason to be sad."

Mia led them out of the chiller, "I know, but he's coming back tomorrow night." She turned to her, "He's really excited to meet you, y'know."

Nora smiled her adorable wrinkly smile. "You tell him he needs to come see his new _nonna_ as soon as possible."

Mia smiled, "Believe me, he knows. I never shut up about you guys."

Nora grasped her forearm and simply smiled, which Mia replied in kind. Eventually, Nora took note of the bottle in her hand. "Oh, did somebody come?"

"Yeah, 4 people. I'm gonna get their orders now."

Nora nodded, "Well, let them know we don't have any linguine left tonight."

"Gotcha, boss," said Mia. And with that, she made her way back to the table with a smile on her face and her notepad in hand. On her way there, she took a moment to look at each of them, and they seemed like every young, hot-shot stockbroker she'd ever seen. None of them could've been older than 25, all clean-shaven and none of them too hard on the eyes either. Not necessarily the type of people she'd go for, but it wasn't hard to understand the appeal either.

"Can I take your orders?" she asked kindly.

The first guy placed his order and let his eyes linger on her a little too long for it to be comfortable, while the next one did the same, only this time, he let the dragging of his gaze along her body a _smidge_ too obvious. The third guy didn't seem to care for her presence all that much and gave his order without any trouble, but when it came to the 'leader'…well, he was a different story.

Dark hair and dark eyes decorated his features, matched with a confident aura that Mia had seen in many men through her life. "And for you?" she asked.

He leaned back in his seat, "Why don't you help me out? I could use an expert opinion."

Mia nodded her head and put a piece of hair behind her ear. "Well, the pizzas are top notch, and so is the spaghetti. But to be honest, nothing beats their lasagne."

The guy nodded and looked up from his menu, locking gazes with her. "How about this, I'll grab the lasagne, and if it's not as good as you say it is, then you owe me a drink."

Mia laughed softly, "I don't know about that."

He put his arms out, "Oh, c'mon. I'm putting my trust, my _faith_ in you. I'm counting on this to be the best lasagne in town, and if it's not, then the least you can do is make up for it." He said it all with the kind of smile that Mia probably would've blushed at a few months ago, but things had changed, and she didn't want to entertain his _extra friendliness_ any more than she'd already done.

Instead of replying, she grabbed the menus from each of them and smiled, "I'll be back soon with your orders."

She heard the group erupt into laughter as she left, and a few murmurs saying 'nicely done, dickhead', and 'you just fucked up'. Instead of paying much mind to it, she went back to the kitchen and got to work preparing each dish, while saying goodbye to Tracey as she finished up for the night.

Within 15 minutes, the table's piping hot food was lined up on 2 trays and Mia was carrying them out towards the group. The other patrons had since left, and so the air was filled only with the laughter and chit-chat of the men in question.

As she approached the table, they all quietened and looked at the food she was about to present, while the leader kept his eyes solely on her. Carefully, she placed each dish in front of their respective customers and named them, standing back once she was done and asking, "Is there anything else I can get you guys?"

The leader took a sip of his water and piped up, "Get us 4 sodas, would ya', sweetheart?"

Unfortunately used to being called every pet name under the sun by men in suits because of her waitressing job, Mia paid no mind to it, and returned to their table within minutes. "And here we have your sodas. If you need anything, just call out."

"We don't know your name," he said with a small smile.

Mia tilted her head. "Pardon?"

"Your name. We don't know it." He shrugged, "I don't wanna call out 'waitress', I mean, it's not very gentleman-like, y'know."

Mia nodded and looked down at her name tag, "Well, it's Miriya."

The others had already begun eating, but apparently, this fella' was a little persistent. "Miriya? Wow, that's nice. Is that Italian?"

Mia shook her head, "Arabic."

He made an 'ah' sound. "Well, it's nice to meet you, _Miriya_. I'm Jarrod, and these are my pals, Scott, Joey, and Pete." Each person nodded or made a wave of 'hello' to her, smiling and chuffed when she replied in kind. "And in case you're wondering, I meant what I said about the lasagne." He leaned in, "For future reference, I prefer Scotch."

Wanting to leave before she had to make any promises that she just didn't wanna keep, Mia grinned a little forcibly and said, "Well, I'll leave you guys to your verdicts, then."

And with that, she walked towards the patio to clean a few tables, wasting away as much time as she could before she had to interact with the group of homebrand N'Sync members. However, a few errands later, she heard her name followed by an 'excuse me' being called out, leading her back into the den of the fratboys.

"Yeah?" she asked with the cleaning towel in her hand.

This time, the guy she knew to be Pete replied, "You guys got anymore of this stuff? God, it was beautiful," he said with a warm smile. He'd been the same one who didn't pay much attention to Mia at the beginning of the night, and she was happy to oblige.

With a smile, she said, "I'll check out back, but I think we might've finished our last tray. Gimme a second."

And, as she'd suspected, they were out of cannolinis, much to Pete's disappointment when she told him. Just as she was about to leave, Jarrod wiped his mouth on a serviette and said, "I like it on the rocks and chilled, if that's okay with you."

Mia turned around slowly and didn't really appreciate the cute smirk he was trying to pull off. "I'm sorry?"

He made an unimpressed face, "This lasagne. I've had better."

She laughed without humour and shook her head, "I'm sorry you feel that way, sir. Is there anything else I can get you instead?"

He cracked a smile, "Well, I've already told you what I want."

She turned to face him fully and clasped her hands in front of her. "I'm afraid we only serve alcohol by the bottle. If you'd like to see our wine list, I'd be more than happy to bring you one."

"I could go for some wine," said the guy known as Scott. "Can you bring a few of those lists?"

She nodded, "Of course, just a minute."

As she left their midst, the men continued their conversation, of which Mia was unknowingly the topic. "She seems like a handful," said Joey.

Jarrod finished his water and smirked, "Got a tight ass on her, though."

They laughed in agreement for a moment before Scott said, "She looks like that chick from the new 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie."

Pete furrowed his brows. "Salma Hayek?"

Jarrod rolled his eyes. "No, dumbass. Penelope Cruz."

Joey half-exclaimed, "She looks _nothing_ like her."

"Who the fuck cares, man?" said Jarrod. He turned his head to see if she was coming. "Where the fuck did she go?"

Almost on cue, Mia returned with a few wine menus in hand and a tired look growing on her face. "Here you are," she said as she passed them the menus.

She waited for them as they looked over it briefly, before they finally settled on a classic bottle of red. Taking the lists back, she could've sworn she misheard Jarrod when he asked her, "Are you getting off any time soon?"

Taking that in a _completely_ different way than he meant it, she asked with wide eyes, "Sorry, _what_?"

"Your shift. Are you getting off your shift soon?" he replied innocently.

Shaking her head and shrugging a little, she replied, "Uh, I've still got a while left."

He nodded, still staring at her in a way that made his intent plainly obvious. "Well, if you're interested, we were thinking about heading over to the bar near Tuscany's after." He smiled to the point of dimples and added, "You're welcome to join us, if you'd like."

Before Mia could even begin refusing profusely, Piero came out of the kitchen and beckoned her rather loudly. Apologising softly, she hurried to him and found that he needed her to get the crates from their delivery van so they could stack the dough before it got too late. A welcome distraction, Mia went about the chore as slowly as she could. The guys were nice enough, even if they were a little cocky, but something about that day, the way she'd felt since the morning…nothing was sitting particularly well with her that night.

And somehow, it was only getting worse. Mia wasn't usually one to check her phone in the middle of a shift, but it'd buzzed in her pocket a few times in the last hour and curiosity got the best of her. Standing in the chiller room, she unlocked her screen and went onto her Facebook messages, only to find herself blinking profusely for a few moments to make sure that she was reading the name right.

 _Vasily Kosta has sent (2) new messages._

It was one of those moments that did well to bring back emotions she hadn't felt in, what seemed like, lifetimes. Just a few years ago, she'd wait by the phone and waste entire days away in anticipation for his call or his visit. He'd been a mistake, and she knew that, but that didn't stop a traitorous synapse in her brain urging her to open the messages that should've stayed unread.

 _Hey Alfie. Wow, it's been forever. How've you been?_

She should've stopped reading there. The second she read the nickname he'd kept for her all those years, she should've locked her phone and gone about her work. But for a reason she couldn't quite fathom, she continued.

 _I'm sorry I haven't been in touch. I didn't know you were going to the States. And that's on me. It's all on me._

She shut her eyes and sucked in a deep breath, not understanding why this day was spiralling in the way that it was. There were only a few sentences left, and rather than let her mind wander too far, she decided to simply finish it.

 _I'm on my way to D.C. for a convention. Yeah, I know, still sticking with the food dream. Kinda pathetic but I still love it. I wanna see you, Alfie. When can we meet?_

The next message followed with a single sentence.

 _I want to make things right._

Dazed and not at all prepared for a throwback of that magnitude, Mia tossed her phone onto the metal shelf in front of her and simply leaned on a frozen tray. She took deep breaths in and let even deeper ones out, regaining her composure and letting the chill of her surroundings be a balm to her nerves. He was all in the past, as were the things he'd done to hurt her, and she ignored every single prompt in her heart and mind that told her to reply. And besides, this shouldn't have surprised her. Zeyn had already told her that Vas was going to be in D.C., and she should've known that the chances of him reaching out to her were going to be high. She couldn't control that, but what was up to her was how she reacted to it.

So, deciding that no more time should be spent on things that no longer had power over her, Mia nodded to herself and ran a hand over her face before pocketing her phone and leaving the chiller. It took another 20 minutes for her to finalise stacking the dough and wiping down the kitchen as her shift came to an end, before Nora asked her to go and collect the plates from the group's table. With a sigh, she obliged unthinkingly, but little did she know _just_ what would unfold.

The first round she did of the table was blissfully uneventful, with all 4 of them wrapped up in a horridly boring conversation about the stock market and ever-increasing rate of fiscal prices. She collected the plates quick enough and deposited them in the tray near the hallway, only to come back and find Joey, Scott and Pete busy in discussion, while Jarrod took his chance to begin a conversation of his own.

"Y'know, I thought you were from Boston at first," he said with a smile. When he only got a confused look in reply, he clarified, "Because of your accent."

She nodded, "Oh. No, Australia, actually."

He replied, "Yeah, I figured. It's not fair, y'know. Everyone from there is a fucking smokeshow." He looked her over once as she plucked one glass from the table at a time. "Present company included."

She decided at that moment that they'd _officially_ crossed over into 'not really okay' territory. Instead of replying verbally, she simply smiled with pursed lips and nodded shortly at him, disposing of the glasses on a table nearby and delivering their bill. "Your bill, gentlemen."

At once, all 4 men began with the usual 'no dude, I'm paying this time' chit-chat. Because they were the last customers of the night, Mia waited a few steps away while they decided who was paying. Jarrod was the lucky winner, and when he deposited an amount that was _a lot_ more than the bill, he looked Mia's way and said with a sly grin, "Y'know, regardless of how the meal turned out, you've been a wonderful waitress tonight."

She began shaking her head almost immediately. "That's very kind of you, but I'm sorry, I can't accept that."

He waved a hand dismissively, "Of course you can."

She looked at him as she stood right next to the table, with the other 3 still caught up in conversation. "I'm afraid I can't."

What happened next was something she _had not_ anticipated. Smoothly, and without hesitation, Jarrod let his hand sit lightly atop her lower back as he said lowly with a smirk, "Then how about you let me take you out tonight. I could show you a good time, make it worth your while."

Mia mumbled incoherently, not used to this kind of proposition any more than she was used to milking a cow. "No, really, it's fine, just—"

He brought his hand to her wrist as she tried but failed to wriggle out of his 'kind' touch. She could smell the wine on his breath as he said with the slightest slur, "Oh, c'mon, don't be like that. It'll be fun. We don't have to go out, my place isn't too far from here. Whaddya say?"

Not prepared to be a part of where this conversation was headed, and _more_ than amazed that none of his friends were objecting to his behaviour, Mia took a stand and said in a voice just above a whisper. "Let go of me."

His movements stilled as his grip tightened just a little around her wrist. His face was contorted with the strangest look of annoyance as he asked, "What did you say?"

This time, without reluctance, she looked him in the eyes and said, "Take your hand off of me."

He looked like he was about to say something, but through some luck, Pete interjected, "C'mon, J. Let it go man, c'mon."

Jarrod looked at her differently than he had all night, a hint of anger ruining his handsome features. There was a childlike disappointment written on his face, as well as evident embarrassment. He let go of her wrist and scoffed angrily, feigning indifference. "Just tryna be polite."

Not willing to let out a breath lest he retaliate in some way, Mia took out the large tip he'd left for her and placed it in front of him. They'd leave the restaurant soon enough, and until then, she could wait out in the kitchen, away from their scornful gazes.

Or so it _should_ have happened.

She walked away and kept the bill near her chest, taking deliberate steps so she didn't wobble in the least. But just before she left their vicinity, she heard words that pierced through the present and took her back to a different time. Those _damn_ words.

"Fucking sand-niggers," he said.

They were the same words she'd heard after she first moved to Australia, back when the kids in her school had never met a Syrian before. With barely 2 sentences of English in her vocabulary, she hadn't even known what those words meant at an age where she was still blessed with naivety. The kids didn't know any better, only repeating what they'd heard their parents and uncles say about people they'd never met. Eventually, she just grew used to the fact that it was just another way to describe herself, the colour of her skin and the land she was from.

But after 8 years of not hearing them, not having felt the childish vulnerability that came with their utterance in so long…there wasn't a bone in her body that hadn't reacted in the way it should have. And Lord knows he couldn't have picked a worse day to say them.

Unthinkingly, and without a blade of hesitance, Mia retraced the few steps she'd taken away from the table, dropped the bill to the floor and watched his face morph into horror as she landed a clean hook to his jaw. It happened automatically, almost routinely, and considering the terrible training session she'd had that day…well, her body didn't fail her when it counted.

Initially, he was more shocked than anything else. All 3 of his friends launched up from their seats as they watched the cut on Jarrod's lip begin to bleed almost instantly. They each had looks of utter shock written on their faces, and none of them had the 'nads to look at the woman who'd reduced him to such a state.

He held his jaw and stared at Mia dumbly. Though he tried, no words left his mouth, and she took that moment to lean down and order lowly, "Get out."

"You…," he blinked his widened eyes, "You fucking hit me."

She locked her gaze with his as she spoke with a fire deep in her stomach, "If you don't wanna leave here in an ambulance, I suggest you get the fuck out of this restaurant, right now."

He might've thought she was bluffing, but anyone only had to take one look at the light dancing behind her fierce brown eyes to know that there was truth riddled in her threats. Still nursing his slackened jaw, he grabbed his coat and wallet, before saying unbelievably, "You're fucking crazy."

It didn't take him much more convincing before he left the other 3 standing still behind their chairs, staring at Mia with a look akin to fear. She cleared her throat and looked down at their feet instead of their eyes as she said softly, "Please leave."

Each one of them half-jogged their way to the front door and didn't look back, not wanting to know what the _hell_ had just happened until they were well away from the restaurant. She waited until they all had crossed the threshold of the store before she fell to her knees and clamped an arm around her stomach, grabbing onto the chair next to hair as she rode through a wave of nausea.

Her eyes were sealed shut and she was letting out small breaths to try and control her heart-rate. Adrenaline, fear, relief…it was all coursing through her body, and in all honesty, she just didn't know how to react.

Nora was the first to find her hunched next to a chair, and Piero followed closely after. Nora yelled out her name and hurried to her, all the pain and worry of a grandmother written on her face.

" _Ay_ Mia, what happened? We heard loud voices, what did they do to you?" she asked with wide eyes.

Mia quickly shook her head and heaved herself up. "Nothing Nora, I swear. They just left in a hurry," she lied through her teeth. "I just got a really bad cramp."

"You are not telling the truth, Mia," said Piero seriously. "Tell us, _amor_."

Mia put a hand in both of theirs as they looked upon her with concern, "I swear, nothing happened. I think," she nodded, "I think I might just get going, guys. I don't feel so good."

"Yes, of course, but how can you drive like this?" asked Nora.

Mia waved her hand, "I'll manage, I'm fine, really. Just, are you guys gonna be okay to close up shop?"

"You don't worry about that. Get your things and get home safely," said Piero. "We can call a cab for you."

Mia shook her head, "It's really fine. I'll just get my bag."

The next few minutes went by in a blur, and nothing quite made sense until she was in the safety of her car and waving a small goodbye to Nora and Piero. She turned right onto a lonely Anastasia Avenue, and then headed left towards the freeway. It didn't take more than 2 minutes of quiet and loneliness for the heartache of a miserable day to fall from her lips and eyes.

The tears flowed for most of the drive home. She tried to make it stop, but in her mind, there wasn't a way in Hell she could run away from it. Though she didn't mean to, every child who'd ever treated her at par with filth for the land she was born on ran through her mind. She pictured Trevor Owens as he threatened to light her house on fire in 8th Grade for speaking Arabic. She saw the man who threw a beer bottle at her aunty as they walked down Sydney streets because she resembled the villains his television had fed him. Words and taunts and promises of abuse, all rushing back to her, and for a moment, there wasn't a place in the world where she thought she'd feel safe.

And that's when the image of a man with ravine-blue eyes and dark features splayed across her senses. _Him_. He'd become an anchor, a balm. _A sanctuary_. Through the deafening thoughts in her head, the idea of him did well to silence them, one at a time. Wiping away at her eyes, she wanted nothing more than to see him. Not so he could make empty promises and whisper sweet nothings to her, but so he'd simply _be there_. In his presence, she felt stronger than what she'd just been reduced to. And while she didn't _need_ him to make her feel safe, a haven didn't sound so bad.

But she didn't have it in her to call Sam or Steve to ask them where Bucky was. They were probably busy, and if she asked, he'd probably make his way over to her. There were important things that he needed to tend to, and disrupting him with the sole purpose of comforting her just wasn't something she was willing to do.

Her breathing evened out throughout the drive home, so much so, that it was only when she'd parked her car and made her way up her building's steps that she realised she was still wearing her flour-ridden apron. Mindlessly pushing her floor's button on the elevator, Mia was in front of her door in a few minutes, only to find that the knuckles on her right hand had been bleeding the entire ride back. With a sigh, she opened the door and switched on a light, letting most of the apartment rest in darkness.

She went about everything on autopilot, throwing her bag on the kitchen bench and bunching her apron into the washing basket. She let down her hair and wiped at her puffy eyes, wincing a little when it hurt her hand to move it too much. She went through familiar motions for a few minutes, not lifting her eyes to anything beyond what was in front of her. And that's why she didn't see the silhouette seated on the ottoman in her living room.

He'd wanted to say something to her as soon as she walked in, but something wasn't right. He only needed to see her in the light for a brief moment to know that she'd been crying, and his heart wrenched painfully at the sight. She didn't even look up, nor did she take notice of his jacket that was draped over the back of a chair. She hadn't turned any lights on, and that in itself worried him to no end. He waited to see what she would do before he finally called her name, softly and in a voice he hoped wouldn't alarm her.

"Mia."

She dropped the keys that were in her hand and flinched at the sound, turning around quickly to find the voice. He got up from his seat and made his way into the light, finding her eyes wide as saucers as she realised who it was. "Bucky?"

He came to stand in front of her, picking up the keys from the ground before he asked, "What happened?" His eyes glanced down at her hands, and he felt his blood turn cold at the sight of dried up blood splayed down to her wrist. He looked up at her and was about to ask 1,001 questions, but that was all but forgotten when she folded herself into him, her arms curled around him and her head burrowed into the crook of his neck.

She'd thought the voice that called her name had been a figment of her imagination, because surely, he couldn't have been there. But when she saw him and felt his presence less than a few metres away, the relief that plagued her bones was immediate, as was her need to be surrounded by his warmth. She didn't know how long he'd been at the house, nor did she particularly care. All she wanted was to stay in that moment a little longer, tangled in his embrace and away from all that broke her heart.

He held onto her just as she wanted, wholeheartedly and without waver. His hands coiled around her back and she moulded snugly into him, neither one saying a word to break the silence. But when moments passed by and his theories for her pain went from bad to worse, he asked against her hair, "What happened, Mia?"

She let out a ragged breath and unwound herself from him, looking down at her feet as she smiled tiredly. "I just had a bad day."

"So you punched someone?" he prodded.

She shook her head, "Just…some wise-ass who didn't know when to stop."

His jaw clenched and his eyes unknowingly took on a murderous rage. "Who was he?"

Mia looked up at him and couldn't help herself. She brought a hand to the wrinkles of anger that had formed on his forehead, smoothing them out as she let her palm linger at his cheek. "I promise nothing happened."

"He hurt you," he said plainly.

Mia shook her head, "He didn't lay a hand on me. He just…said the wrong thing on the wrong day."

Warmth spread in her belly at the sight of someone, of _him_ , so shaken by the thought of her being harmed. Protectiveness was a trait she'd only ever experienced from family, and to feel it radiating off of someone like him was more than enough to set her heart aflutter with respite.

He let his eyes flicker shut for a moment as her thumb ran across his cheekbone, but stilled the moment he remembered she was hurt. "Sit down," he said as he took her palm away from his face. He walked towards her freezer and looked awhile until he found some ice and put it in a paper towel, bringing it to her and placing it on the broken skin of her knuckles. "Where did this happen?"

She sat on the kitchen bench and let him keep his hand atop the chilled ice. "At the restaurant, just before."

"Did you call the police?" he asked seriously.

Mia scoffed lowly, "No, there was no need for that. He was just some hot-shot trying to save face in front of his friends."

"What did he say to you?" he asked quietly.

She let out a small breath and looked down as he stood next to her at the bench. "Nothing worth repeating." She winced as he moved the ice around a little, and the anger on his face gave way to concern. But rather than bombarding her with needless questions, he simply stood there and let his presence be the comfort that she needed.

After a few minutes of silence elapsed, she looked his way and conjured a genuine smile for him, shaking her head a little as she said, "Thank you."

He nodded once and let his eyes appraise her. Her work clothes didn't seem all that comfortable, and neither did the shoes she was clad in. He eased the ice off of her hand and said softly, "You should get changed."

She nodded, leapt off of the bench slowly and was making her way to her room when she turned to say, "Hey." He nodded, to which she asked a little timidly, "Can you stay a while?"

Though it probably wasn't the best time to have the sort of reaction, he couldn't help the chills that lit through his bones as he nodded in reply. She sent him a small smile, one riddled with gratitude, and closed the door to her room as she went about letting loose the weight of the day. Meanwhile, Bucky turned on the warm lamp in her living room and tossed up a few ideas. She'd probably be a while, having obviously worked a shift that lasted the entire day. He didn't know what she'd eaten or hadn't eaten, whether she even had an appetite or the energy to make any food at that point.

But rather than think about it for too long, he remembered that there was a convenience store right next to the ground level of her building. And so, without another thought, he walked to the front door and softly shut it behind him, making his way down the elevator to get a few things that might make that night a little easier for her.

After 5 minutes of an ultra quick shower and Mia throwing on her favourite pair of pyjama pants and a black tank top, she dried her wet hair with a towel as best she could as she walked out of her room. She expected to see him waiting in the living room or standing in the kitchen, but when her eyes fell to both places and didn't see him in either, she felt her heart sink more than a little. Maybe she shouldn't have asked him to stay. After all, he might've just come for a quick visit and needed to tend to other things.

She looked around twice to make sure she wasn't mistaken, but he was still nowhere to be found, and so her heightened spirits were dampened once more. She was standing in the kitchen, resignedly looking for some bandages, when she heard the lock to her door being turned. Her eyes fell to the familiar figure entering her home's threshold, carrying not one, but _three_ plastic bags, each filled to the brim. The smile that spread on her lips felt strangely foreign after the events that had taken place, but she was sure that her heart hadn't been filled with such adoration in forever.

He brought the bags towards the kitchen bench and looked at her sheepishly as she stood on the other side of it. "I, uh…I didn't know which ones you liked, so…"

"So, you raided the entire store?" she said with a giddy laugh.

He nodded with a smile, "The shopkeeper didn't seem too happy."

"Don't worry, Mr. Levin doesn't like anyone," she comforted. She peaked into each of the bags and began taking out some items, her smile widening with each sugary, fat-filled product that came into her hand. He came to stand next to her and began helping her, a hint of pride creeping into his heart at the sight of her reaction.

"Oh my…God, Bucky." She looked up at him and shook her head, "You didn't have to."

He shrugged and kept his gaze on hers, "S'nothing."

"It's not nothing," she said resolutely. "God, it's…it's everything."

He swallowed and tried to come up with a way to reply. Eventually, he just went with the safest option and asked, "You wanna tell me which ice cream you like so I don't have to bring the entire freezer section next time?"

Her eyes fell shut as she laughed and nodded. "It's mint chocolate chip. And tiramisu flavoured, but they only sell that at a deli uptown."

He nodded. "Got it."

She went back to the bags and took out all 6 packets of jumbo sized crisps, each flavour as outlandish and unheard of as the next. "Beetroot Soup Flavoured potato chips?" she asked with a raised brow.

He took the packet from her hand and replied sheepishly, "…I didn't look at the names. I just took one of each colour."

She laughed softly, "I see that. Or you secretly like," she checked the flavour of another packet, " _Red Caviar_ potato chips?"

He grimaced a little just at the sound of that. "What kind of a place sells this shit?"

She laughed, "Mr. Levin's Swedish. These chips aren't the strangest things you'll find in that store."

Bucky nodded understandingly, "I'd rather not know."

Just as Mia was about to reply, she unthinkingly let her right hand graze against the side of the bench, irritating her already scratched knuckles. "Ow, Jesus."

Bucky looked down at her hand and asked immediately, "Do you have any bandages?"

She nodded, "I just got 'em out. They're next to the kettle."

Without hesitation, he reached for them and began to unroll the white coloured fabric, glancing at Mia once for unspoken permission and only continuing once she nodded in reply. Carefully, and as he'd done hundreds of times before, he began to wrap her hand delicately, being sure not to apply any pressure that would make it bleed again. She watched his brows furrow slightly in concentration as he went about his work, and the domesticity of the entire moment wasn't lost on her.

"Don't put it in water. If any cloth gets in the cut, it could get infected," he said as though he'd heard it numerous times in his life. "And don't use your hand too much."

She smiled and let him list out the things he wanted her to do. When she'd been hurt during the mission, he hadn't done anything of this sort. He'd wanted to stay as far away from her and her wounds as possible, because somehow, he'd managed to take full responsibility for what had happened. But this…his willingness to help her through something as small as a few grazed knuckles, was beyond heart warming. Rather than telling him that this was all rather routine, that she'd lived with fractured ribs and broken fingers before, she simply listened and clung to his every word.

Because, _damn_ , it felt good to have someone care.

"There," he said as he clipped the bandage and set her hand down.

He looked down at her to find her already staring, and the two of them shared an unspoken moment. Her smile told something akin to 'thank you for being here', and his eyes merely said 'I'm just glad you're safe'. Mia was the first to look over at the 4 pints of ice creams that were melting with each passing second and declared, "Choose a pint."

He let out a small huff, "I don't…I don't really eat… _this_."

She tilted her head a little, "C'mon, everyone eats ice cream."

"You take what you want," he said. "I'll have some from yours, save the rest for later."

She sighed, "Are you tryna watch your weight or something?"

A small smile curled onto his lips, "Do you think I should?"

She nodded as if it were blatantly obvious. "I think you've let yourself go a bit." She feigned contemplation as she looked over his defined jaw and still-obvious muscles under _3 fricking layers_ of clothing. "A little soft around the edges."

"Oh, yeah?" he asked.

She tried not to laugh as she replied, "Absolutely." She picked up the mint chocolate chip pint of ice cream and said, "But, you can start tomorrow." Without a thought, she grabbed a packet of chips and the chilled Pepsi before walking over towards the living room and planting herself on the spacious sofa. With a small grin, Bucky followed in her footsteps and shrugged his jacket off once more, tossing it onto the chair nearby as he sat down next to her.

Mia curled her feet under herself and put everything but the ice cream on the floor, opening up the lid and offering him the first spoonful. Rather than argue, he took what she was giving and hovered it near his mouth for a moment before taking the plunge. Almost instantly, his face contorted a little and he looked at her as she asked, "What?"

He swallowed. "It tastes like mouthwash."

She opened her mouth in disbelief. "You've gotta be kidding me." He shook his head and felt a small smile tug at his lips when she added, "I'm not complaining, more for me."

Bucky took a sip from the drink she'd brought to the sofa while she ate her ice cream in all her inner-fat-kid's glory. She was about a quarter of the way through when a thought occurred to her. "First ice-cream since '44?"

He nodded and considered before saying, "Not a great choice."

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "You sound just like Zeyn."

Bucky replied, "You talked to him since?"

She shook her head. "Barely. These conventions go for 16 hours a day while they're on. But he's liking it so far." She shook her head, "God, I don't even know how I'm gonna begin to explain all of this Avengers businessto him." She looked Bucky's way and asked, "Any ideas?"

Bucky leant his head against the back of the sofa and, much to Mia's delight, propped his feet up onto the low ottoman in front of him. It wasn't so much the action that got to her, but rather, it was the idea that he was at ease around her. It served as a small indication that he was getting more and more comfortable in her presence as time passed by. Little things like rummaging through her fridge for ice and allowing himself to relax in her home…they were all promising signs that they were growing closer. Small, but promising.

"You know him best," he said. "What do you think he'll believe?"

She let out a sigh and fiddled with her spoon. "I think…I think he'll believe that I know you all through Sam. It's just…I mean, it was just so _suss_ , half the bloody Avengers sitting in my living room like it was nothing. I don't think he's gonna buy that they were just _dropping in_ on one of Sam's friend's houses for a Sunday dinner."

Bucky mulled over that sentiment, and the truth was, she was absolutely right. "So, tell him."

She blinked dumbly. "What?"

"Tell him how you know them," he replied plainly.

Mia's brows furrowed slightly as she leaned in to say lowly, "Are you feeling okay?"

He sat up a little straighter and looked her way. "Not about the mission, but tell him you've helped them out with some SHIELD business."

Mia was beginning to realise that he was, in fact, being legitimately serious. Shaking her head slightly, she said, "What, so…I…was an…agent?"

"Not an agent, a translator," he replied. "They found out about you through Wilson, and you helped with some mission prep. Simple."

Mia tried but failed to find a way in which the plan would fail _too_ horridly for the next few minutes. Sure, it wasn't ideal that Zeyn had found out that Steve and Nat even knew she existed, but this seemed like a pretty decent way around a much bigger problem. While thinking it through, she mindlessly dug the spoon into the ice cream and managed to scoop out a generous amount, which she offered to Bucky just for the heck of it. He flinched back a little and shook his head almost instantly, but all it took was one pleading look from her, and he'd probably swallow poison at her demand.

Surprisingly, he found that it didn't taste as bad the second time around, and she noticed the change in response immediately. Passing the spoon back to her, Mia wondered if she could muster up the courage to ask him about another thing that had been weighing on her mind. And instead of prolonging it, she decided that ripping off the bandaid would be the best way to go.

"And…um…what do I tell him…about," she gestured vaguely between the two of them, " _This_?"

For that, the answer was relatively simple in Bucky's mind. In fact, it was one thing he didn't have to think long and hard about at all, because in this situation, being honest would only help them.

"The truth," he said in a low voice.

She couldn't help but let out a small laugh at that. "That you're a 99 year old man with a cool metal arm that just _happens_ to be best friends with Cap?"

"Hey," he said seriously, and for a moment, Mia thought she'd overstepped her mark in some way. But then, he added, "97."

A wide grin spread onto Mia's lips as she nodded and put her hands up in surrender. But before she could say anything, he spoke a few words that did well to wash away all of the things about that day that had troubled her. Suddenly, nothing else really mattered.

"I don't want you to keep things from him you don't have to," he said sincerely. "I know it kills you." Mia swallowed and felt immeasurable relief at his understanding as he continued. "It's not fair to either of you."

She nodded, "You're not…worried? I mean…Zeyn's great, but…he's not gonna make it easy, for me _or_ you." She smiled and shook her head, "I guarantee he already knows."

Bucky nodded understandingly. "He does." A hazy memory played restlessly in his mind, one of a teenage Rebecca and a young, faceless suitor holding her hand. "Brothers always do."

Mia had come to identify the far-away look Bucky always seemed to get when a memory was unfolding in his mind. Rather than speak or disturb his train of thought, she'd learnt to let him ride out the recollection until he rejoined the present. So, she ate a couple more spoonfuls of ice cream, feeling endlessly lighter after all they'd talked about. But then, the silence they enjoyed was broken by Mia's phone alerting them of a message behind Bucky on the table.

"Hey, could you see who it is? It's probably Zeyn," she said as she downed another mouthful. She was too interested in devouring what was in front of her to notice that Bucky's face had taken on a confused expression as he read the message that lit up the screen, not knowing the context surrounding it, but knowing the name well enough.

"Vasily Kosta says he just landed and wants to know when Alfie's free," he said, more than a little puzzled at most of that sentence.

Mia froze on the spot and took the phone from his hand to read the message herself. And sure enough, it read:

 _I just landed at Reagan. Fuck, it's hot here. I know you're getting these, 'cos you left me on 'Read', but I mean it, Alfie. I wanna see you. Let me know when you're free, whenever and wherever's easiest for you. Vas._

Mia shut her eyes immediately and tossed her phone between the two of them. Truthfully, she didn't want to see Bucky's face lest it be filled with suspicion and anger at the fact that her mysterious ex-boyfriend was contacting her. But when she peaked her eyes open and saw only curiosity upon his features, she let out a breath and asked the looming question. "I'm guessing you wanna know?"

"I don't think you want to share," he said tentatively.

She scoffed lowly, "I don't think you'll wanna _hear_ what I have to say."

Putting the ice cream on the floor and sitting up straighter in her seat, Mia tried to centre herself and drown out the thoughts in her mind that hindered her from recounting what had happened. It'd been months and months since she'd mentioned his name without more than a sentence attached to it, but if ever there was a time, it was now. And if ever there was a person who deserved to know about her past, it was him.

"Just…okay, I'm giving you fair warning," she said. "I haven't told anyone what happened for good reason. And, I know you wouldn't, but…just…this was a long time ago, and…I don't know—Just…don't hunt him down and cut his toes off or anything, y'know?"

He knew that she was trying to put him at ease by telling him how this was all in the past, but nothing about that sentence made him even remotely comfortable with what he was about to hear. He nodded slightly and waited for her to begin, a bit of anxious to learn a little more about who she'd been before he came into her life.

"I've known him since I was in high school because of my brother. I was crazy about him back then, but he barely knew I existed beyond the role of 'Zeyn's little sister'. In my senior year, he left to do an apprenticeship in Vienna, and by the time he came back, I'd managed to get my life together and look a little less like an ogre." She laughed at her own words and said, "He was… _that guy_ , y'know? Funny, handsome, older than me and my friends were. So, when we started dating, I thought he was the best thing that'd ever happened to me. Zeyn loved him, and weirdly enough, so did my aunt and uncle. It was so good when it started out. Perfect, really."

Bucky listened intently, hanging on to each word she said and trying his darndest to understand this time in her life. She continued, "After the first 6 months, he landed a job at one of the best restaurants in the city, which for Sydney, is huge. He was really good at what he did, and managed to impress the higher-ups enough to get promoted. We were still going strong by the end of the first year, but his work was really starting to take a toll on him. His relationship with his dad was on the rocks, always copped abuse from him, but he still had to take care of his family. On top of that, he'd work long hours and try to keep everything under control, but eventually…he needed an outlet."

Staring onto the table in front of her, she said, "At first, he started drinking just to take the edge off after work. But then, things got more stressful, and it wasn't long before it became the only way that he could enjoy himself." Mia nodded absently, staring at the carpet beneath her. "But he was good at what he did, _too_ good, really. That's why his managers took him off of the cooking staff and made him supervisor. No more long hours at work, and no more stress of the kitchen. But…he was already hooked."

Mia folded her legs underneath her and spoke a little quieter as she continued. "We'd had a few alcoholics in the family before, but Vas was…so different. He'd come back to his place at 4 in the morning, nothing but liquor on his breath. I tried to get him to stop, but nothing I said made a difference when he had a glass in his hand. All the while, the restaurant was sending him to conventions and meetings interstate and overseas, and…I should've known the way it was gonna end."

Bucky had a feeling he knew what was to come. He could tell by the hint of betrayal that resided in her eyes when she talked about him, knew that there must've been a good reason why she'd leave someone she'd come to care for so much.

"The first time he cheated, he was in Vegas." She laughed sadly, "Nothing good ever happens in Vegas." She swallowed, "I called him through the hotel extension and a girl picked up, sounded drunk off her face. I heard him in the background, and then he realised it was me on the phone and not room service." She looked as though she was replaying those memories in her mind as she continued, "He came back home and told me it was a one-off thing. He said that he was just drunk, that it'd never happen again, all the usual. But, I was so young, I just didn't know any better. So, we stayed together a few more months, he got sober for a while. But then after that, it was…just the final straw."

Both wanting and not wanting to hear what happened next, Bucky listened closely as her voice quivered for a brief moment before continuing. "I found out he'd cheated on me with one of Zeyn's exes. They'd met each other at the gym, and then randomly at his restaurant a few weeks later. They hooked up once and that was it. But…it ate away at him. So, he came to my place one night and told me what'd happened."

By this point, Bucky couldn't decide whether he was grateful that this guy had screwed up, or ready to send him to the morgue. She continued, "I'd never seen him so wasted. He wouldn't stop apologising, and I knew he meant it. Said he wasn't dealing with family problems well and wasn't in his right mind. And, I know how crazy it sounds but…so much of me wanted to forgive him."

This was the part she'd been most reluctant to tell. And more than once, Mia thought that it'd be best to skip over these few moments of the story. But after more than a year of keeping her memories hidden under a plethora of excuses, she knew that this was exactly what she needed. Bucky had shared the entirety of his story with her not too long ago, and in her mind, she wouldn't be doing him justice if she kept from doing the same.

"He'd never been abusive, never laid a hand on me. But, when I told him that I couldn't talk to him when he was so drunk, he just…lost it." Mia didn't even notice that her eyes had begun shining as she re-imagined that night, that sad and fateful night. "He began shouting, throwing things around, and just…roughing me up a bit. Shoving and shaking, no real bruises to show for it, but…I knew that was it. I thought I could go through anything for him, but…" she shook her head, "That's never okay."

Bucky played the pictures of what she was saying in her mind, and though his blood curdled at the thought of someone laying a finger on her, he was ever grateful that she walked away when she did. Licking his lips, he asked softly, "What'd you do?"

Surprisingly, she let out a small laugh and looked over at him. "I smashed his Mazda with a baseball bat."

They both shared a little laugh at the visual she'd provided, and it was a welcome reprieve from a story they neither wanted to tell nor hear. "Yeah, I'm…I just…had to. Haven't looked at Mazdas the same since," she shook her head. "Y'know, weirdly…it wasn't the cheating that killed me. It was just…you put… _so_ much time into being with someone. Everything about them affects your life, your mood. Just…the thought that you were all in, and they weren't, it…" she lifted her eyes to Bucky's. "It breaks you."

They sat in a brief silence before Bucky asked tentatively. "Does anyone else know?"

She shook her head. "Zeyn just thinks that we drifted apart because of his work. I can't tell him. If he knew, he'd…" she closed her eyes even at the thought, "Yeah, he can't know."

She didn't wait for Bucky to say anything else. Rather, she wiped at an errant tear which had found its way down her cheek and laughed ironically. "Wow, that was a really long-winded way of saying that I have a shitty ex."

She had a small smile on her face, but Bucky could tell that she wasn't quite okay. He knew better than most what it was like to keep something like that bottled up for so long. Steve was the only other person in the world who'd known about Carmella's story, and even then, retelling it to Mia that night in Turkey had been more than a little draining. What she looked like she needed was reassurance. And that was all he wanted to give her.

"You left," he said. Mia looked over at him and listened. "It was brave, what you did."

She shook her head immediately and looked down at her dawdling fingers. "I don't think that's the word I'd use."

"Hey," he nudged her softly. "You could've still been there, taking what he was giving. Leaving's never easy."

If she was being honest, there was so much truth in that. She'd known women in her own life who'd put up with abusive relationships, simply because it was all that they'd known. Strangely, she'd never thought of it that way before.

"And the guy's a fucking idiot," he said plainly.

 _That_ got Mia smiling.

"Yeah, yeah," she said giddily.

He shook his head, when a question came to mind. "Why 'Alfie'?"

Mia grinned a little. "He shortened 'Alfiyan' to 'Alfie'. God, I hated that nickname so much."

Bucky said the name a few times in his head. "My Lieutenant's name was Alfie."

"Really?" she asked.

He nodded. "You look just like him."

She laughed at the unexpected joke and softly elbowed his ribs. "Thanks, Barnes."

"I'm serious," he said with a coy smile. "He was a little taller than you, though." She feigned disappointment as he continued, "And he had a beard. But besides that…" he shrugged.

"Spitting image?" she asked with the small raise of her brow.

He nodded. "Couldn't tell you apart."

She let out a sweet laugh as she turned in her seat a little to face him, her shoulder pressed right up against the back of the sofa. Letting out a silent sigh, she simply _looked_ at him, taking in all that he was under the lighting of a dim lamp.

"How on Earth did I find you?" she asked with a hint of wonder. His face sobered a little, and he figured that was all, but this was the time she wanted to give voice to the thoughts hidden in her mind. "I mean, of all the places in the world you could've gone to, all the cities I could've chosen from." She paused, "All you've been through for so long…I don't understand how we ended up here."

He felt his throat go a little dry at the magnitude of what she was saying. Fate and destiny and fortune…they were all things he hadn't believed to be true when he was younger. But after having gone through all that he had…nothing seemed too far-fetched.

"Do you believe in God?" he asked.

She seemed momentarily surprised, but answered straight away nonetheless. "Yeah, I…I always have." She waited a moment before asking, "Do you?"

Looking at a pair of wide whiskey-eyes, dusted with copper under a warm light, coupled with full lips that stole his glance…his answer was simple. "I do now."

Her heart well and truly bursting at the seams, Mia was all but putty in his hands, and not just for the words he'd spoken that night. She felt a blush creep onto her cheeks as she smiled a little, leaning in as though her body had no other choice and revelling in the way his eyes closed before her lips touched his.

In that moment, Mia couldn't remember a time where she'd felt more vulnerable yet safe before in her life. She'd just laid her past bare in front of him, and nothing about his response had left her regretting that decision. Everything about the way their lips moved against one another spoke of gratitude at getting to share in these moments with someone. No rush, no desperation, just untainted affection.

She moved in closer and slowly curled her arms around his neck as both his hands went to her hips. Losing breath in the best of ways, she smiled into the kiss as his fingers tripped across her back and sent a ticklish sensation through her spine. Unknowingly, he kept doing it, and it wasn't long before she was forced to break their kiss with a series of small giggles falling from her lips.

He stopped when she did and looked at her through half-dazed lashes. "What happened?"

She shut her eyes and laughed into his shoulder. "Nothing."

It took less than a moment for him to realise that she was ticklish by the way she had her arms tensed against her ribs in protection. Still curled in on him and trying but failing to stop laughing, he let his right hand trail along her arm before tickling a spot that _nearly_ sent her into cardiac arrest.

"Buck—No! No, stop," she said through a wave of laughter. "Don't—Stop, Bucky! Don't—Hey!"

Deciding to switch tactics, Mia scratched her hand at the side of his ribs, making him flinch back and wide open for the attack. Determined to come out of this victorious, she leant up on her knees and put one between his legs as she closed the distance, sending both of them into the sort of laughing fit they hadn't enjoyed in years.

Both breathing raggedly and still smiling, they stopped their attacks and tried to regain their composure, with Mia semi-sitting in his lap and Bucky's hands planted at her waist. She reached up to card her hand through his hair and loved the way his eyes fluttered a little shut when she did. There was a feeling that rose in both of their stomachs as they sat there, one that felt horribly like contentment.

Yeah, that's exactly what it was.

They sat joined like that for a while, neither one saying a word nor making an effort to move. But it was as Mia caught a glimpse of the clock behind Bucky that she suddenly came to a realisation of grand proportions.

"Hey?" she asked. He nodded and looked up at her. "How come you came here tonight?"

Bucky's face sobered a little at the question, and Mia noticed it almost immediately. She grew confused when he sat up a little, making her unwind herself from him and sit back onto the couch. Somehow, he'd hoped that they could skip over this part of the night, but since that wasn't possible, he said what he needed to say without fanfare. "We got another mission."

That wasn't _at all_ what she'd been expecting, and for a moment, she'd completely forgotten that regardless of the fact that _she_ wouldn't be going on anymore missions, the same couldn't be said for him. "Oh."

He nodded slightly. "I don't know how long I'll be gone for, but…it's important."

She nodded understandingly. "I know you probably can't say, but…where?"

He answered quietly, "Romania."

She let out a small sigh. "Well, I guess that's not _too_ far away."

He didn't reply to that, instead, he simply gauged her reaction as best he could. She put on a small smile and said reassuringly, "I don't know what you're going there to do, but I know you'll do it well."

He let out a small breath and turned his head to the floor. "I don't know about that."

She reached out her left hand and placed it gently on his knee. "Hey," she said softly. Reluctantly, he let his eyes meet hers. "Why are you saying that?"

He swallowed and figured that he may as well come out with the truth that had been weighing on his mind since the moment he'd been assigned to the operation. "It's gonna be bigger than Syria was."

And suddenly, she stilled, because every possible bad thing that could happened to him scurried through her mind in frenzy. Rational, irrational…it didn't matter when all she could picture was everything going wrong at the same time. The stakes in Syria had been the decimation of 22 million civilians, and if this was worse than that…

But the thing was, she couldn't afford to let her mind wander to those thoughts, not when he himself was riddled with self-doubt and borderline certain that something would go wrong _because_ of him. In a voice that didn't waver, she said, "Then you'll do better." She paused, "Every person in your life believes that. They believe in you and the good that you're capable of, whether you think so or not."

He let those words sink in as he looked still upon her face. Even after the kind of day she seemed to have had, she conjured the conviction to reassure him of all that she knew him to be. It might not have seemed like a lot, but it was all he needed. "I can't let them down," he said.

She shook her head, "No, you can't. And you won't."

He let his lips upturn ever so slightly at her confidence, and whether he shared that sentiment or not, he hoped it to be true. Before he forgot, Bucky pulled out a small beeper from his jeans pocket and held it in his hand. "It's a radio transmitter. It comes in a pair. It doesn't send messages, and it can't pick up locations. But," he held it out so she could take it, "It sends a signal to the other one when you press the button."

Mia turned it over in her hand and noticed the little speaker on the bottom of it, with a miniscule light bulb that she figured would start blinking when the button on the other device was pressed.

"I have the other one," he said. "Steve said for you to keep it."

Mia looked up at him and let a small smile spread on her lips. "What, am I supposed to click the button when I'm missing you, or…?" she asked cheekily.

He got a certain glint in his eye as he replied, "Something like that."

She nodded and placed the beeper down on the table. "So, it's you and the other three going?"

He shook his head. "Tasha isn't coming."

Mia nodded in understanding and asked the one question she didn't really want to know the answer to. "When do you have to leave?"

He let out a small breath. "An hour ago."

Her eyes widened, "What?!" She sat up straight and shook her head. "Why didn't you say anything?! Oh my God, Bucky, they're probably waiting for you and now—"

"Hey, hey," he clutched her arm as she flailed it around in concern. "It wasn't more important than this."

"Yes, it _is_." She laughed unbelievingly, "Oh my God, I'm so sorry for keeping you."

"It was my choice, Mia." He said it with firmness, and she understood what he meant at once.

Letting out a deep breath, she nodded and asked, "How are you gonna get back to Steve's?"

"Same way I came," he said. "Harley."

Mia's eyes widened a little. "You rode a _bike_ here?"

He nodded. "It's Steve's." Almost at once, the phone in Bucky's pocket began to ring, and Mia knew exactly what that meant. She gave him some privacy to take the call, while she regrettably got up from the sofa and headed to the kitchen with the now fully-melted ice-cream and crisps in hand. She heard some quiet murmuring coming from the living room as he spoke, and she felt her heart sink at the idea that she wouldn't get to hear his voice for God knows how long.

Within a few minutes, he finished the call and waited at her front door. She joined him with a nervous smile on her face, and realised that this was the first time she'd had to say goodbye to him like this.

"Hell, I don't know what to say," she admitted. "It'll be summer there, so try not to get heat stroke. And even if you're not superstitious, keep some garlic on you and don't talk to any pasty white guys with long fingernails." Bucky grinned at the worrisome look on her face as she continued, "And, I know Romanian girls are gorgeous, but just…I don't know, if you didn't fall in love with any of them, that'd be really great—"

Silencing her in the best way he could, Bucky leant down and gave her a kiss she'd remember in the days to come as they stood in her doorway. She rested her hands at his chest and he cupped her face with his right hand, feeling her shaking ever so slightly under his fingertips. When they pulled apart, Mia kept her eyes closed as their foreheads touched and their breath fell frayed.

"Please, for the love of God, be safe," she pleaded softly. She opened her eyes and brought her hand up to hold his as it grazed her jaw. "And don't even think about not coming back, Barnes. You hear me?"

He nodded and felt a strange pull in his chest at the idea of having someone to come back to, to come _home_ to. It wasn't just foreign to him, it was alien to everything he'd thought to be true of his life. Normality, steadiness…words which hadn't made their way into his vocabulary for the very reason that they weren't to be expected by him.

…But maybe, just maybe, while his entire life was filled with uncertainty, she could be his constant.

"You couldn't keep me away, sweetheart."

He hadn't meant for the term to slip from his lips, but it happened nonetheless. And he knew he'd done the right thing when the look on her face spoke only of elation upon hearing it. Reluctantly, she brought his hand down from her jaw and stepped out of the way so he was free to leave. She looked at him and smiled for him one last time as she said, "You're so much more than you think." She nodded, "And you'll make them proud."

She leaned up on her toes and planted a soft kiss at the corner of his lips, lingering there for a moment too long and hoping that he believed every word she'd said. He kept his eyes only on her as she settled back to the ground, and though he wanted nothing more than to freeze in that moment, time wouldn't allow it.

He took a step over the threshold of her door and another towards the elevator. She peered out and watched as he walked away, wanting desperately to call him back and keep him where no one could bring him harm. But little did she know that he didn't look back at her for the very same reason, for fear that he just might stay, forever and beyond.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes: Heyyyaaa everyone! How's life, how's the wife? Hope y'all are thriving and killing it at studies or at work, or just feeling really good when you wake up, with good vibes all around you! I think there are a few new readers sooooo *waves excitedly with a massive foam finger that says 'buenos dias'* haiiiiii guys! Thanks to you all for sticking around this long, and I hope you like where this story is headed! Plenty of good things to come, and I can't wait to hear what y'all think!**

 **On a totally unrelated note, I binge watched 'The Night Manager' a few days ago, and all I can say is PLEASE. WATCH. IT. That is all. You will NOT regret it. Amazing story, beautiful scenery, and Tommy Hiddleston in it. That is reason enough to watch ANYTHING, but this one is a total winner, and if you're into television dramas that make you annoyingly anxious about the next episode, this is the one for you! Hope y'all have a great few weeks, until next time, muchachos! Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 19

"I know you're avoiding the question," said Zeyn plainly.

Mia turned her head to him from the stove. "I am _not_ avoiding any questions."

He paused. "…You just asked me if I'd bought any new cufflinks lately." Zeyn shook his head. "Who the _fuck_ asks about cufflink purchases?!"

Mia feigned insult. "Well, _excuse me_ for wanting you to look presentable!"

" _Mia_ ," he said with crossed arms as he sat on one of the high-chairs in her kitchen.

Putting her hands up in surrender, Mia nodded. "Alright, alright. I know." She let out a breath, "Just…I need you _not_ to freak out. Please."

"Hey, I filled my 'non-freaking-out' quota when I walked in here, saw 2 Avengers sitting on your couch and didn't jump into their laps." He paused, "…No homo…". He shook his head, "I'm gonna do what I damn well please, you just need to tell me how the hell you're so _buddy-buddy_ with my wife."

Mia squinted, "…Nat doesn't even know who yo—"

"She will." He whispered assuredly, "She will."

Mia laughed, "Whatever you say, _yar_." She took in a deep breath. "Okay, I'm just gonna start from the beginning. So, remember how I told you I met Cap on a run? Well, after that…"

And so, Mia detailed the sequence of events as best she could without giving away _anything_ incriminating. She told him that Steve had come to the restaurant for dinner with the others, and that that was where she'd first _officially_ met Nat. Then, she told a _few_ white lies about how they'd recruited her, saying that it had been Sam's idea and that she'd been onboard since the get-go.

"So, they came here and told me about the mission, and what they needed me to do. That first time was probably the strangest, really. Steve was sitting at the dining table, and Sam and Nat were walking around the kitchen, making me breakfast and stuff." Mia laughed unbelievingly at the memory of that fateful morning. "It was…so freaking weird."

Zeyn sat with his elbows on the kitchen bench and a slightly gobsmacked look on his face.

"You okay?" asked Mia with a smile.

He let out a breath. "M'fine. It's just… _fuck_ , this sounds like a story out of a fanfic or something, y'know?"

 _Mia looks into the camera like she's on 'The Office'._

"I know, and honestly, you're taking this a lot better than I thought you would," she said.

"Just gimme a second to digest all of it and then I'll be pissed about why you didn't tell me sooner," he promised. "So, you…what, had to…decode stuff?"

She shook her head. "Not really _decode_ , just a lot of…translations and gathering some intel," she said carefully.

Zeyn shook his head. "I just don't get it, man. They're the _fucking Avengers_ , surely they'd have some trained agents who spoke Arabic. There was _no one_ more qualified to do it than you?"

She shrugged. "I thought the same thing. But after what happened with SHIELD, they said most of their agents were either compromised or on the run. They didn't have that many people who spoke Arabic anyway, let alone _Syrian_ Arabic."

He nodded. "Fair enough." They stayed quiet for a little while, and Mia preferred that Zeyn ask the questions, while she simply answered them. Otherwise, Lord knows what kind of nonsense she'd start spewing out.

"So…it took you this long to tell me _because_ …?" he asked with a raised brow.

Mia put the finishing touches on the sizzling _zurbian_ that she spooned out onto the platter. "Because I don't have a secure phone line. I can't just be saying things like that over an open network."

"Right," he said. "Yeah, okay, so another question. What exactly was the mission about? Why did they wanna go to Syria?" he asked curiously. "And, before you say it's a matter of 'national security', I think I deserve to know more than anyone. Imagine if something goes wrong because of the intel _you_ provided them. How am I gonna save your sorry ass if I don't know what you were a part of?" He said it all in jest, but Mia felt a pinch of guilt at the fact that he'd never know the full truth, and in all honesty, it was no small burden to bear.

"I hate to say it, but it was sorta the usual. Some foreign Ambassador trading information with a Syrian politician, y'know how it is. It was a high-risk op, I figure a lot was at stake."

He nodded solemnly. "That's usually the way it goes." He paused and thought for a moment. "What was the name of the Syrian fella'?"

She froze and didn't know whether to play completely dumb ('easy' option) or to answer him truthfully ('harder than it should be' option). But after observing her prolonged silence as she stirred the oregano soup with her back to him, Zeyn would've known straight away if she was lying.

"He was some young guy, I think. From Aleppo," she said with as much indifference as she could.

"You mean Varkey Al-Nasser?" he prodded. "The guy they found dead a few days back?" Mia simply went about her business, really not knowing how to react. " _Khaala_ told me about it."

Mia asked, "Really?" She continued carefully, "What did she think of him?"

"She hated him. Said she knew him when he was younger, that he deserved what he got."

Mia simply stared at Zeyn as he spoke, because _that_ was not something she'd been expecting. "But…but I thought everyone loved him."

Zeyn shrugged. "I don't know about that. They said he was poisoned, no bullet wounds or anything."

Mia was only growing more and more confused as he spoke. "What—Where did they find his body?"

"In a house. I think it was in…fuck, what's that place called? Abu Jeylah—No, uh…Jayyar…"

"Aby Jurayn?" asked Mia.

He clapped his hands. "That's the one. They found him in a fucking _palace_ , it looks like something out of a movie, man." Zeyn got up to go wash his hands as he continued. "I don't think it was his house, though. _Khaala_ said some Serb owned it, but I don't know how the fuck she knows that."

Her mind was well and truly _blown_ , because the only famous Serbian who owned a house in Abu Jurayn was the Ambassador, who had, to her knowledge, been killed on the night of the mission. _How the hell did Varkey's body get all the way to Abu Jurayn_?

"It's never taken you this long to make _taeam_ before. You good?" asked Zeyn half-jokingly.

Jerking herself a little and not wanting to seem any more suspicious than she probably already seemed, Mia put a smile on her face and dished out the last of the food into their platters. "I'm just wondering how the hell you've managed to keep the weight off considering you probably eat take-out 24/7 now that you don't live near _khaala_."

He chuckled. "It hasn't been easy. Especially now that there are 4 new chicken places that opened up on my street."

Mia complained, "You're so freaking lucky, man. I have to drive into the city to get good food, there's next to nothing in Bethesda."

Zeyn didn't really hear much of what she had to say after he took his first bite into his _zurbian_ and let his eyes fall shut. "That's it. You're moving back home." He continued chewing, " _Fucking hell,_ Mia."

She laughed and felt utterly elated at his reaction. "Not too bad?"

He shook his head. "This is the only reason I came here, y'know?"

She sent him an unimpressed look. "Charming."

He laughed a little and took a few more bites, enjoying the blissful quiet. But eventually, the only other topic that had been looming in his mind made its way onto his lips. "Speaking of charming…"

Mia took a bite of her bread. "Hmm?"

"Don't 'hmm' me," he said. "Who's the guy?"

Mia swallowed. "What guy?"

Zeyn raised a brow. "The one that doesn't know it's impolite to stare at a girl when her big brother's in the same room."

Mia tried but failed to hide the little smile that spread on her lips. "Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh'." He took a sip of his drink. "Tell me now or I'll assume the worst."

She rolled her eyes. "It's nothing, Zeyn."

"I think someone should tell _him_ that, then." He prodded, "Is he your baby daddy?"

She cringed immediately. "Don't use that word."

"What word? 'Baby'?" he smirked. "Okay, but seriously. Who is he?"

She let out a small sigh and knew that she wasn't about to dodge this question any time soon. "You know him, he's Bucky. I've sorta been…seeing him…for a while."

He wiped his mouth on a serviette and leant back in his chair, with a face that didn't seem terribly thrilled. "Seeing him?"

She nodded. "Yeah, y'know…a few dates. Well, two." She shook her head, "Okay, _one_ if I'm being exact."

"Doesn't sound like you're all that into him," he surmised.

Her eyes widened. "Are you kidding me? I aminto him. I'm _way_ into him—"

"Okay, okay, jeez," he cringed. He let out a breath and asked her seriously, "So, what's his deal?"

Her brows furrowed, "Whadya mean?"

"What does he do? Why was he at a dinner with a bunch of Avengers? What's his criminal record? Social security number? Any children from previous marriages? Has he ever been bitten by radioactive arachnids?" he asked.

"Did you script these?" she interrupted.

He shrugged, "Nah, just wanted to know the basics."

She huffed. "Well, no children, uh, I can't think of his social security number off the top of my head right now, but I'm sure it'll come to me," she joked. _Let's just ignore the 'criminal history' question for now._ "And he…works with Steve."

He laughed humourlessly. "What is he, his bodyguard?"

She grinned. "Not exactly."

"How _old_ is he?"

Mia thought for a moment. "Old enough."

Zeyn paused and looked at her as though he saw right through her. "Do you like him?"

She lulled her head back and said sarcastically, "I'm gonna let you take a wild stab in the dark at that one."

"He looks like Fabio with short hair," he whispered.

"Sam says that as well," laughed Mia.

"Now _Sam_ seems like a solid dude, I like him," announced Zeyn. "But, c'mon Mia, you dropped Vas for _this_ guy? Vas is a young John Stamos, hands down."

Mia scoffed, "And Bucky's an…older…Sebastian Stan?"

Zeyn thought about it for a moment, trying to find similarities between them. "Nah, I don't see it."

"Yeah, me neither."

He sighed. "I'm just saying, I don't mean to kill your vibe, but he seems a little dodgy."

Mia nodded, "That's _exactly_ what I thought when I first met him. But I've gotten to know him since then, and trust me, you'll see what I mean when you do the same."

"You've only been on _one_ date with him, Mia," he reasoned.

She was _insanely_ close to saying 'Yeah, but I went on the mission with him before that'.

 _Shut up, watch your mouth, don't say anything stupid, Alfiyan_.

"I knew him for some time before that, trust me. And he's the first guy I've seen in a while, so I took my time to suss him out," she said reassuringly. "Y'know I wouldn't do anything stupid when it comes to this stuff."

 _Okay,_ maybe _one could argue that dating a 97-year-old ex-Soviet assassin whose hit-list is longer than the Declaration of Independence is a_ little _stupid, but…c'mon…he has pretty eyes._

"You've just gotta give him some time," she said.

Zeyn stayed silent for more than a few moments, the food in front of him all but forgotten as he went into ultra-big-brother mode, well aware that he was the only one in her life she could unwaveringly depend on if things were ever to go wrong. "He treat you good?" he asked with all the concern of a guardian.

Mia smiled one of her genuine smiles as she thought to all the ways that he did just that. Too many reasons and examples to name, she simply replied, "He makes me really happy."

Zeyn let out a resigned sigh and picked up his spoon as he declared, "I'm not fully sold on him. But I'm gonna be here a while, and he has more than enough time to prove me wrong." He looked up at Mia as the spoon hovered near his mouth. "I hope he does."

X

One thing that Mia hadn't quite comprehended was just _how much_ the team had become a part of her everyday life in the while she'd known them. In the days that followed, she realised how accustomed she'd grown to Sam's random messages or calls, as well as the spontaneous drop-in sessions that they liked to be a part of. Not seeing Steve or Nat or Sam was strange, but not seeing Bucky was just on an entirely different level of unfavourable.

She figured it was mostly because she didn't really know where he was. It'd make sense if he was just busy with Steve or prepping for a mission, but he was actually out there, in another country, partaking in things she'd probably never knew existed. She should've expected this, the urge to call Sam or Steve and ask how they were all doing, but now that it'd come…she couldn't help but hate the feeling.

Although Mia had the radio transmitter Bucky had left for her to 'communicate' with, something was stopping her from pressing the button. Regardless of the fact that she really wanted to, somehow, it felt like she'd be disturbing him in the middle of something important. She added Romania's clock into her iPhone, and every time she'd go to press the little button to send him an alert, one of several thoughts would run through her mind.

 _It's 3 am in Romania, what if he's in the middle of a really stealthy part of the mission and the sound goes off on his beeper?!_

 _It's 11 am, he might be sleeping because maybe he's been up the whole night and finally got the chance to rest. If I press the button, it'll wake him up for sure._

 _It's 5 pm there, what if he has to go undercover like he did in Syria and he's currently at a fancy ball filled with swarms of security. If he's in the middle of an important conversation with some important Romanian delegate and his beeper goes off, that'd break his cover for sure._

So, 4 days went by and Mia kept her self-imposed ban on clicking the button. But, it wasn't until Sunday night came around that she was doing her weekly clean of the house and found his jacket slightly crushed between two of the cushions on her sofa. Picking it up and smoothing it out, a small smile crept onto her lips at the memory of what had turned out to be a beautiful night. It should've been one of those days where she came home, put on that one oversized sweater she felt most safe in, and had a good cry for a few hours. But instead, luck had favoured her in ways it seldom did, presenting him in the form of a comfort when she most needed him.

And thinking back on it in that moment…she sure did miss him.

Before she had a chance to over-think the little gesture into oblivion, Mia half-jogged to her room, still clutching on to his jacket, and grabbed the beeper from her bedside drawer. Taking in a deep breath, she took the plunge and pressed the allusive button. Biting her lip lightly, she put it into her pyjama pocket and walked towards her cupboard, grabbing a hanger to put his still-crinkled jacket on. She hung it next to her own clothes, smiling stupidly at the sight of his things amongst hers, and shut the door to her wardrobe.

 _Now, let's wait and see what happens._

X

 _Sibiu, Romania_

 _12:31 am_

"I don't think they'll be showing up any time soon," said Nat through the earpiece.

Steve looked through his binoculars as he stood at the edge of his balcony. "Give 'em time."

"They were supposed to come 6 hours ago, Cap," said Sam into the earpiece. "Is it possible that your tip-off could've been dodgy?"

Steve clenched his jaw and took the binoculars away from his eyes. "Not a chance."

Sam sighed, "Alright, then. Ey, y'all got any food up there?"

"Just a couple of steaks and a pint," said Bucky as he stood next to Steve on the balcony.

"…He's fucking with me, isn't he?" asked Sam through the receiver. Bucky smiled a little at Steve as Sam continued, "Things were a lot fucking better when you didn't talk, you know that?"

A few more moments went by in silence, each person waiting for some sign of the group of people they were waiting for. But when another 15 minutes elapsed and the clock neared 1:00am, they knew it was time to call it quits for the day.

"Steve, they're not gonna show," said Nat. "It was a bogey lead."

"I second that," said Sam.

Steve let out a small breath and looked Bucky's way, who nodded in agreement with them both. Resignedly, Steve announced, "Alright. Nat, call us in 20, and try to chase up that lead in New York. Sam, get back to the hotel in 15."

"Copy that," said Nat and Sam in unison. Steve turned off his earpiece and headed back into the hotel room they'd booked out for this purpose. It was a newly built resort in a beautiful, old-fashioned town, but they'd hardly had the time to enjoy its pleasantries during the last few days they'd been there.

"That's the third day in a row, Stevie," said Bucky as he followed him in. "Not a good sign."

Steve tossed Bucky's sniper back to him for dismantling. "You're telling me."

"Who's the source?"

Steve sat on one of the two beds in the spacious room and sighed as he took his earpiece out. "You don't know her."

"Her?" asked Bucky with a raised brow. "That's new."

Steve gave him an unimpressed look. "It's not what you think."

"I think it's exactly what I think," Bucky insisted as he detached the scope from the rifle. "Who is she?"

Steve paused. "Remember Peggy Carter?"

Bucky nodded. "Sure."

Steve looked down at his feet. "While I was on ice, she had a family."

Bucky's motions stilled as he simply looked at Steve blankly. "…A daughter?"

"What—God, no, Buck." Steve shook his head and tripped over his words a little. "It's…her niece."

Bucky furrowed his brows. "…You're doing her niece?"

"What's wrong with you, man? _No._ " Steve ran a hand over his face. "She was SHIELD until it collapsed, now she's with the CIA. She's been…sending some leads on the op."

Bucky shook his head slightly and went back to dismantling his sniper. A few quiet moments later, he noted, "Don't you think Carter's _niece_ is a little young for you?"

Steve looked plainly at Bucky. "Mia's _22._ "

Bucky paused and shrugged. "All the cute 90 year olds were taken."

Steve let out an exasperated laugh. "You sure lucked out, pal." Speaking of Mia, Steve asked curiously, "How'd she take it when you told her about the mission?"

Bucky packed the pieces away into the rifle case. "Alright, I guess."

"Is her brother back in town yet?"

He nodded, "He was supposed to get back on Wednesday." Because they hadn't gotten enough time to talk about it in the last few days, Bucky decided that now was the time to mention it. "I told her she could tell him about Syria."

Steve looked up at him. "How much?"

"The basics. We found out about her through Wilson and she helped with mission prep in D.C. Just enough to make sense why we know her so well."

Steve nodded. "I know she wants to tell him." He hesitated, "And maybe she can someday. But…it's just too soon."

He nodded. "She knows that."

Steve grinned a little, "You two seem to be going steady." Bucky met his gaze. "Have you guys…uh…y'know…" he gestured strangely with his hands.

"Jesus Rogers, you're like a 9 year old girl," he shook his head.

"Hey, I'm tryna be respectful to her," he defended. "And, y'know, you were at her place for a while that night. Almost missed the plane 'cos of it."

Bucky sat on the chair across from Steve and clutched his hands in front of him. "Nah, we…when I went to tell her about the mission, she was a mess."

Steve leaned in. "What happened?"

"She wouldn't say, just that some guy gave her a hard time at work." The shadow of a smirk ghosted his lips, "She socked him in the jaw, though. Messed up her hand a little."

Steve's face lit up like a Christmas tree, both slightly worried and rather impressed. "Wow."

He nodded. "Yeah."

Steve got a slightly contemplative look when he next spoke. "Y'know, right after I got the serum, we had to do a whole bunch of tours around to different cities and base camps for the…y'know…'Captain America Show'."

Bucky nodded. "I remember that."

Steve continued, "We had to meet…God, _so_ many women. Nurses, assistants, some accountants. And I remember most of 'em." He nodded, almost reassuring himself. "But, I've never met someone like Mia."

Bucky listened intently as his oldest friend, his brother in every way that mattered, talked about the girl in his life. It was with certainty, without waver. And from the memories that he'd recalled…it seemed as though no girl in Bucky's past had ever made an impression like that on Steve Rogers.

"When you look at her, she doesn't seem like the kinda girl that can do what she can," he said. "I don't just mean the fighting, y'know. It's the way she handles herself." He shrugged, "Doesn't seem to back down from anything when it's about what's right."

Bucky let out a small laugh. "Remind of you anyone?"

Steve's lips upturned. "You've always picked good company."

They sat in silence for a while before Bucky spoke, without any real idea that the words were leaving his lips. "This is gonna hurt."

Steve replied with the weight of his own broken heart to take lesson from. "It wouldn't be love if it didn't."

Bucky's head turned immediately in his direction, because that _word_ , as foreign and unfamiliar as it had become, felt strangely perfect. And he wasn't ready for it now, but its realisation was coming.

…That was, if it hadn't already arrived.

But before they could get another word in, the door to the room opened, followed by a famished-looking Sam on the phone to Nat.

"It's one phone from Stark's inventory, he ain't gonna miss it." He went silent as Nat spoke from the other end of the line. "You're the one that's meeting him tomorrow, just…fuck, I don't know, sneak it into your purse or something." He rolled his eyes as she replied. "I know you don't carry purses but help a brother out, I need a new phone, girl."

Steve and Bucky shared a look as Sam somewhat angrily hung up the phone and tossed (hurled) it on the bed.

"I don't give a fuck that it's 1:00am, I'm gonna wake the chef's lazy ass up and point a gun to his balls, let's see if he don't wanna make me a cheese sandwich then," said Sam irritably.

Wincing a little at the visual, Bucky and Steve got up from their respective seats and made their way over to him.

"Y'know, you're lucky your girl didn't come on this mission, or else I would've exploited the shit out of her cooking," said Sam to Bucky. "She's the only other goddamn person here who likes to eat more than twice a week."

Not seeing any fault in what Sam was saying because _good God_ , Mia's cooking was Heavenly, Bucky didn't reply. Instead, Steve answered another incoming call from Nat, who said on speaker, "You guys have spent three days in Sibiu based off of your source, Steve. How do we know Nicolae and the others aren't half way across the Baltic Sea by now?"

"They can't go until they've gotten the cargo. We'll give it one more day, and if they're a no-show again, then…"

Nat, Sam and Steve remained engaged in their phone conversation when Bucky heard the faint sound of a beeper going off in his pocket. Zoning out of the discussion at once, he reached into his cargo pants and felt an inexplicable warmth spread in his chest at the sight of a blinking light, matched with the sound of a mostly muted alarm. His girl, _his_ Miriya, was more than a few oceans away, taking the time out of her day to think of a no-good sort like him.

Hardly what he deserved, but he'd take it while he could.

However, before he could even begin to think about it for too long, Sam's suddenly very-alert voice made him turn in his spot and hear what he had to say.

"Ey, Cap. We've got an unnamed vehicle coming in from the city's east entrance, 2 armoured SUV's following it."

"That's them." Steve nodded once and put his earpiece back in. "Let's go."

Bucky didn't hesitate to gather the things he needed and slip an extra blade into his boot. But should this fatefully be the last time he could do so, he pressed the button on his beeper in response to the girl from the 'Land of Milk and Honey', the one person he knew was waiting for him back home.

X

Tuesday marked an entire week that Bucky had been gone on his mission. The waiting and 'not knowing' part of it all stressed Mia more than she could well explain. But through everything, the comfort that she got by knowing that he'd responded to her 'alert' within seconds the one time she'd used her beeper was heart-warming.

Tuesday night was the first time in a while that Mia had gotten the luxury of sleeping in early. After a particularly gruelling day at work, her head hit the pillow by 7:00pm, and her eyes closed 5 minutes after, falling into a blissful sleep and enjoying it greatly.

…For the 7 minutes that it lasted…

Mia was jarred awake by the buzz of her alarm sounding at 7:14pm, wrestling with her sheets to try and find her phone. But when she finally got a hold of it and saw that the screen was blank, it took her a few moments to understand that the sound was coming from _inside_ her bedside drawer as opposed to on top of it.

Reaching in for the offending item, her irritation at being woken up evaporated in mere seconds once she saw the light blinking on the beeper. Smiling giddily and sitting up in her bed, she reached for her phone and clicked to see what time it was in Romania.

2:14am.

… _That is the primetime booty-calling hour. He's thinking of me at 2am. What does this mean?!—Nope, shut up, don't even go down that road, it does NOT mean anything. He's probably up because he's staking out some place or waiting for a bad guy to leave some shady warehouse…_

… _or he's lying alone in bed somewhere…_

 _STOP IT! Stahp. Stehp. Stohp. Stihp. Just. Don't._

Shaking her head at her own stupidity (or accuracy?), Mia quickly clicked the button to send him back an alert of her own, hoping that wherever he received it, he was doing alright. More than anything, this was an indication that he was alive and thriving and well.

At least, that's what she wanted to assume.

Needless to say, it took Mia a little while longer to get to sleep that night, but she was fully rested by the time she woke up and got to making breakfast for her and Zeyn. Truth be told, having Zeyn with her was a relaxant all on its own. He'd taken up one of the two spare rooms that Mia had in her apartment, and did well to make up for all the time they'd lost in their 12 months apart. They had a few movie nights and he even went to Mia's work one day, _finally_ getting the chance to meet Nora and the gang. He fell in love with them instantly, as did they, and it wasn't long before it felt as though he'd always been a part of Mia's life in D.C.

But a few days earlier, Zeyn had mentioned that he wanted to go to Mia's gym to get a few training sessions in with _sensai_ Eddie while he was in the States. Getting to learn from one of the best coaches in the country was an intrigue for someone like Zeyn, and Mia was more than happy to get the two of them acquainted. They got ready in good time and made their way downtown to the gym, not at _all_ expecting what the day had in store for them.

 _2 hours later_

"What. The. Fuck," wheezed Zeyn as he lay on the mat, his hair slick with sweat and his grey eyes swimming with no small amount of pain. "I can't move."

 _Sensai_ ducked under the ropes of the ring and slapped a hard hand down on Zeyn's thigh, a gorgeously thrilled smile on his wrinkled face. "I like this kid."

Mia wiped at the sweat on her forehead and walked into the private boxing room her brother and coach were occupying. "I'm glad to hear that."

"I might like him more than you," he said with a raised brow.

Mia pointed at him. "Now, that's pushing it, old man."

He let out a laugh and helped Zeyn up with a huff. "You did good, kid. I see where she gets it from."

Zeyn ran a towel over his face. "You ever think about moving down to Australia, _sensai_?"

Eddie smiled. "No incentive to. That is, so far."

Zeyn grinned and nodded. "A lot of up and coming kickboxers down there. One of our gyms could use a kick up the ass from you."

 _Sensai_ wove back under the ropes. "Got plenty of people that need that here too, son."

"He's just saying that to make you feel better, Z. The truth is he'll go wherever I'll go, and I don't plan on leaving any time soon," Mia said with a cheeky smile. "This is the land of opportunity."

Zeyn chucked his sweaty towel at his little sister. "Maybe I'll ask _khaala_ if she fancies a move to the 'land of opportunity' as well. I think she'd love it here. Get her the apartment next to yours," he shut his eyes. "It'd be _dandy_."

Mia rolled her eyes. "Good luck getting me to put in a good word about you with Widow. You're on your own, boy."

"Warm down, I'll see you kids out front," said _sensai_ as he shut the door to the private room behind him. Mia and Zeyn stood at the bars and stretched out their legs, taking advantage of the large space they had to themselves.

"I think she wouldn't mind me either way," he said confidently. "Though, I'd prefer someone who stayed in town for longer than 2 days at a time."

Mia scoffed. "And that's the _only_ reason why you and one of the world's greatest superheroes wouldn't work out?"

He pondered as he hoisted his other leg onto the bar. "It's all that's coming to mind."

She laughed. "I admire your confidence, bro."

"Hey, if I'm not gonna believe it, then who the hell will?"

Mia smiled and couldn't help but see truth in that as she spent the next few minutes silently stretching out her mildly aching body. Her and Zeyn were almost wrapped up with their workout and about to hit the showers, but apparently, their plans didn't matter all that much.

"I see she's gotten you to work right away," said a gorgeously husky voice from the entrance.

Mia and Zeyn turned around almost immediately, not having actually heard anyone enter the room. Mia had grown completely used to that voice, but all this superhero business was still relatively new for her brother. Thankfully, he didn't seem too thrown (at least outwardly) as he began conversing with the woman they'd spoken about mere moments ago.

"Had to see if the hype was real," he said easily. "They work their fighters pretty good here."

Nat approached them slowly, wearing skin tight black trousers and a leather jacket to match. She gave Mia a small nod of greeting, but proceeded to talk to her brother. "D.C. grown on you yet?"

Zeyn ran a hand through his charmingly ruffled hair. "It's not too different to home," he said. "People are nice, though," he said bashfully.

"Just nice?" Nat asked.

Zeyn nodded slowly. "Among other things."

Meanwhile, Mia was in a perpetual state of eye-rolling in the background, not quite believing that her brother was trying to spit game with Russia's prized daughter. But hey, she wasn't really one to talk either.

"Nat, how…how did you know we were here?" asked Mia.

"It's Wednesday. Training day," she said smoothly. It appeared that she had an envelope in her hands clutched behind her, and Mia for the life of her couldn't understand why she was there to begin with. All she knew was that it was either very good…or the unspeakable alternative.

Apparently, Zeyn understood that the two women needed to discuss something alone, and he wasn't one to dawdle in places he had no business being in. "I'll leave you ladies to it, then." He extended his hand out to Nat and said with a mischievous glint in his eye, "Ms. Romanoff."

She accepted at once and did that half-smirk thing she liked to do. "Alfiyan."

They held eye contact for a moment before Zeyn departed from their company, probably on his way to fist-bump the air vigorously as soon as he was out of sight.

"I like him," said Nat to no one in particular.

Mia shook her head slightly. "You said that last time, Nat."

"They usually say something to change my mind by now," she replied. "He's fairing well."

Mia smiled and shook her head. "This is not how he would've expected his trip to go." Before any other talk could distract her from her worries, she asked the pressing question. "Is everything okay? Are you even…supposed to be seen here?"

"I was quiet on my way in," she half-joked. "They're fine, if that's what you're wondering."

Mia let out a long breath. "When are they coming back?"

"We won't know until a few more days." Her lips upturned ever so slightly. "How are you holding up?"

Mia let out a small laugh. "They're the ones saving the world and you're asking _me_ that?"

"They do this for a living," she said plainly. "You're the only one who didn't know what to expect."

 _That_ , Mia could understand perfectly. "It's been fine, really. Mostly I'm just…just praying that it all goes well, and they're safe…wherever the hell they are." She swallowed. "God, but the waiting kills me."

Nat nodded and finally brought the little envelope to her front. "This should keep you going for a while."

Without a word, she handed it to Mia, who looked at her once before accepting it. It was a larger envelope, and was evidently filled with something more than just paper. It was unmarked, save for the small insignia of a company Mia didn't recognise at the upper right hand corner of it.

"Open it when you're home. Keep the contents, burn the envelope," said Nat. "Does your brother know where Barnes is?"

Mia shook her head. "No, he hasn't asked yet."

Nat nodded. "Steve told me he knows a little about Syria. If he asks, tell him they're in New York."

Mia nodded and asked out of curiosity, "How come you didn't go with them?"

"Home needs protecting too," she said. They shared a few moments of silence before Nat continued, "I won't be in-touch for a while. I'm headed to New York in an hour, that means you're not gonna have anyone here." She pulled a small device that looked _way_ too high-tech to be left in Mia's hands and said, "If anything happens, _anything_ , press this button and there'll be a suit on its way to your location."

Mia's brows furrowed as she held the device in her hands. "A suit? Like…an agent?"

"Think more…'man in the sky'."

Mia's mouth fell open unashamedly. "You mean…an _Ironman_ suit…is gonna come… _for me_?"

Nat smirked at her excitement. "It's gonna be un-manned, so flamboyant billionaires don't come with the package, but yes."

Mia let out a breath and shook her head. "None of my life makes sense. Not one bit."

Surprisingly, Nat let her hand clasp at Mia's forearm in a kind gesture before saying, "I'm glad it was you, rookie."

Mia's face fell ever so slightly, because that sounded an awful lot like 'goodbye'. "You're not coming back any time soon, are you?"

She retracted her hand and said openly, "You'll see me when I'm here."

Mia let out a small smile. "Do you mean that?"

"Your Sambo isn't gonna improve itself," she joked.

Mia shook her head and laughed unbelievingly. "You're not wrong there."

They both stood in front of each other, and found themselves in a situation they hadn't quite been in before. For Mia, Nat was a mentor who'd somehow wound up being a friend. And for Nat, Mia was just supposed to be a run-of-the-mill agent assigned to a standard mission. But somewhere along the line, and discreetly as ever, she'd become so much more than that.

Mia got that feeling that Nat didn't quite do these things very often. Taking the reins in this territory, she stepped in and wound her arms around Nat, feeling more than a little fuzzy when she did the same almost instantly. And for someone who was a supposed cold-hearted weapon of war, Romanoff gave pretty good hugs.

"I am insanely sweaty right now," said Mia, still in the embrace.

Because this wasn't as common for Nat as it was for Mia, a buried impulse somewhere in the back of her mind wished to prolong it as much as she could. "The jacket's old, anyway."

A few moments passed before they both let go, small smiles befalling each of their lips as Nat took a few steps away. "Give the fellas' hell when they get back."

Mia nodded with a grin, "Yes, ma'am."

And with a final glance, Nat left the room with a saunter, leaving Mia standing by herself with only an envelope in her hand for company.

"Let's go home."

X

"She was _totally_ checking me out, you can't say you didn't notice," said Zeyn as they walked over the threshold of Mia's apartment.

Mia shook her head. "That's just her personality, Zeyn. She oozes sexuality, it's in her nature!"

"Nope, I don't care, you can't take that away from me. We had a connection, Mia."

She smiled, "Well, she can't speak Arabic. How do you think _khaala_ and _khaalu_ are gonna react when you bring her home?"

Zeyn grabbed a cold water bottle from the fridge. "Hey, your Prince Charming doesn't speak Arabic either."

"Yes, he does," she blabbered before she could keep her mouth shut.

"Bullshit," said Zeyn.

Now, she was gonna have to commit to this. "No shit. He's…really good at it as well."

Zeyn took a long swig of his water. "…Where is he even from? What's his last name?"

 _See, this is why you should have someone taze you every time you say something stupid. Maybe that way, you'd LEARN not to talk so much, Alfiyan!_

"Trinidad."

Zeyn furrowed his brows. "Bucky Trinidad?"

"No, he's _from_ Trinidad."

Zeyn had a mildly shocked look on his face. "Really? Wow, that's…not what I would've expected." He nodded, "And last name?"

… _What's a Trinidadian surname?_

"Jesus."

* _eye-rolls herself into oblivion*_

"Bucky…Jesus…?", Zeyn repeated.

Mia nodded, mostly to reassure herself. "I know, it's…sorta…strange." She cleared her throat, "But have you heard _our_ names? They're not exactly normal, y'know."

"I know, I know, just…you're dating someone named 'Bucky Jesus'?" He shook his head a little disapprovingly, "And how come he hasn't been around? Did you tell him to stay away while I'm here?"

Mia laughed, "No, of course not. He's in New York right now."

"Why? Does he have a girlfriend there too?" he half-joked, half-speculated.

Mia looked at him, slightly unimpressed. " _No,_ he's with Steve."

"Maybe _he's_ his girlfriend, you ever consider that?" he said with widened eyes.

Mia ran a hand over her eyes. "Do you think before you speak? Like, ever?"

He held his hands up in surrender. "Hey, all I'm saying is, have you ever seen two strong, handsome men stand that close to one another and _not_ be gay?"

"They're really good friends," she reasoned.

"Is that what you tell yourself to deny the fact that you're dating a homosexual Trinidadian?"

Mia waved her hands around her head, "Why am I still standing here?! Why?!"

And with that, she took her envelope to her room, ignoring Zeyn as he yelled, "I'm just tryna save you from getting your heart broken, kid!"

She shut the door and let out an exasperated laugh, because _wow_ that hadn't gone to plan. She shook her head and walked towards her comfortable armchair, curling up in it as she slowly opened the seal of the envelope. It seemed as though it'd been super-glued on at first, which was why her impatience got the best of her as she simply ripped the damn thing open, peering into what lay inside.

The first thing she noticed was a postcard that looked to be more than a little dated, covering a small item underneath it at the bottom of the envelope. As a rule of thumb, Mia hated looking at presents before reading the cards they came with, and though she wasn't making any assumptions that he'd bought her something, she carried on with tradition anyway.

Looking ahead as she took the postcard out of the envelope, Mia marvelled at the gorgeous drawing that covered the front of it. It was of a cathedral, a sketch that didn't need colour to detail its intricacies. The cathedral stood in the middle of a road with cobblestoned streets lined on either side of it, small figures walking upon them. The artist had gone to great lengths to capture the moment he must've sat in, with leaves strewn across the pavement and newspapers sitting in front of each door on the street.

When Mia's eyes glazed to the bottom of the card, printed words wrote the following;

 _Sibiu_ , _Romania. Ferdinand Market Square_.

Mia marvelled at the picture a few more moments before turning it over to find gorgeous handwriting, the type one might've come across back when documents were still signed with fountain pens. It was in that moment that she realised that though many things change about a person over time, perhaps the movements of their hand when pen hits paper always remains the same.

She smiled before she'd even read what Bucky had wrote, with a deep, unencountered ache forming in her chest as she began.

 _It's 2 am here. I'm sitting on a rooftop in the middle of town._

 _There's a crescent moon tonight, and it's beautiful._

 _I think I've been here before. Don't know when, but it feels familiar._

 _We're well. Hope you are too._

 _The Pigeon misses you. Your food, mostly._

 _PS. I'd rather you were here, in any life._

Mia read the card once more. And then another time. And then three more times, before she allowed herself to believe that it was real, that a guy she dared to call 'hers' had written a letter that closed the thousands of miles worth of distance between them, all in a few words.

It helped her understand more than a few things, the first being that he'd probably pressed the beeper minutes after he finished writing on the card, explaining fairly well why he'd been up at such an ungodly hour. She knew where he was, and Googling 'Sibiu, Romania' was at the top of her to-do list. He was still moon-gazing, and his love for the night sky was as charming as ever. He said he'd been there before, and Mia couldn't help but wonder where Romania had fallen into his past. All she hoped was that it wasn't something that would leave him in tatters.

And Sam's glorious codename, matched with his hunger for Mia's food was as adorable as ever, making her feel all too loved by her friend. But though the card was gorgeously written in its entirety, her eyes continued to fall on the final words he'd scribbled.

 _I'd rather you were here, in any life._

…

…

…

 _Why is he doing this?_

She remembered that phrase the moment she laid eyes on it. _In any life._ It was the same thing she'd told him on a rooftop in Turkey, the thing she hoped would bring him some comfort. And now, all this time later, he cared enough to repeat them back to her. And _God_ how she wished to be there with him, whether it was in the throes of the 21st century, or at a time where men still wore tailcoats and top-hats in the streets. Any life would do.

Setting the card on her lap, Mia reached into the envelope and pulled out the small item which came with it. Upon first touch, she couldn't quite understand what it was, but when she got a good look at the small, delicate bottle sealed at its tip, a smile crept onto her lips at once.

It was a vile of perfume, a most _gorgeous_ vile at that. It looked like the types she'd seen in antique stores, with daintily crafted cuts in the glass and a dark, caramel-coloured liquid inside it. She unwrapped the seal at the pointed lid, and slowly took out the stick applicant it came with. Mia brought it to her nose and inhaled it, letting her eyes flutter shut as the captivating scent of lavender and vanilla masked her senses.

She decided then and there that it just might be one of the prettiest things she'd ever lathered atop her skin. Keeping in mind that there was a very limited amount of it, she swiped the applicator once over her wrist and rubbed them together, breaking out into the silliest of smiles when she noted its smell once more. One thing was for sure, she hadn't picked Bucky Barnes as a lavender kinda guy, but nothing was too surprising.

As she placed the closed vile on her bedside table along with the postcard, Mia did one thing she needed _desperately_ to do in order to release some of the excitement bubbling in her lungs; she screamed for a solid 29 seconds into her pillow.

"Mia? You okay?" asked Zeyn from the other side of her closed door.

She took a deep breath and heaved herself up from the bed. "I'm fine!" she said with a goofy smile. She went to open the door and address him fully.

Zeyn looked at her suspiciously. "Why are you smiling?"

She shrugged her shoulders and grinned. "I'm just really happy."

He looked at her accusatorially. "You're pregnant, aren't you?"

She furrowed her brows. "What?"

"You're pregnant. And your boy Jesus knew about it, that's why he ran off," he said, utterly convinced of his own theory.

"Zeyn I'm…I'm not pregnant."

"Then why are you smiling?" he eyed her.

 _What the actual—Can people not smile these days without being pregnant?!_

"That's what I thought," he nodded to himself. "I fucking knew it."

He walked away, mumbling something to himself about 'just trying to raise a decent sister, but she had to go and get pregnant', and Mia really couldn't understand why God hadn't just blessed her with a normal sibling.

But then again, they wouldn't be half as fun.

Deciding to forego his insinuations _entirely,_ Mia simply shut the door and went about her business. Suddenly, there was a whole lot to be mind-numbingly happy about.

X

"Miriya, they didn't deliver the garlic _again_ , darling," complained Nora. "This is the third time they done this."

Mia wiped her hands on her apron and left the patio to join Nora at the counter. "You've gotta be kidding me."

"No kidding. How we gonna do tonight's shift if we don't have garlic?"

Mia nodded, "Don't worry, I'll go down to the markets and grab some."

"No, no, darling it's gonna take too long. Piero won't come for another 2 hours, I need you here."

Mia thought of some other options. "Can we get that deli to deliver—Actually no, they're closed after 4:00. Damn it, uh, we could ask next door for some?"

She scoffed and waved her hands in the air. "I don't wanna owe no favours to the Williams restaurant. We asked them for eggs _once_ , and they remind me of this every time. No."

All of a sudden, Zeyn got up from his seat at one of the tables after having finished his meal and brought the plate to the counter. "Nora, that was the best Bolognese I've had in my life, hands down," he declared. "There's nothing left for me in Australia now."

Nora lit up like she always seemed to do when Zeyn was around, and raised a hand to his cheek. " _Ay mi amor,_ there's always room for you here."

Mia nuzzled her head cheekily between the two of them. "You know, before you came, I was her only ' _mi amor_ ' for an entire year," she reminded him.

"All bad things need to be replaced after a while," grinned Zeyn.

Mia brooded as Nora grabbed both of their hands and shook her head. "Okay, okay, no fighting, Nora love everybody. But, what she doesn't love is not having garlic for her lasagne."

"I can go get some," said Zeyn nonchalantly.

Mia's eyes widened because this was _exactly_ what she didn't want. "No! Ehm, I mean, really Nora, I can go get it."

"It's not a problem, dude. Where should I get it from?" Zeyn asked Nora.

"Darling, you gotta go downtown for that, we buy in bulk from them."

Mia shut her eyes, because there was only one way he was gonna get downtown; driving her car.

Nevertheless, she tried to steer him away from that option. "I think a bus is coming for downtown in a few minutes. Or you can get a cab."

Zeyn looked at her with a smile. "I think I might take the car."

Mia shook her head desperately. "Zeyn, _please_ don't take Abu. Your driving _kills me_ , please if—"

"I think you're forgetting who taught _you_ how to drive, kid. Don't insult the master," he chided.

"But, the road rules and the—"

"Mia, I've almost been here for two weeks, I know how things work," he said in a reassuring voice. "And don't worry, I'll bring him back safe and sound. Apu is in good hands."

"Abu," she corrected.

"…Right."

With a long sigh and the sad realisation that she might never see her car in one piece again, Mia reached into her apron and handed over the keys. Pocketing them himself, Zeyn asked Nora a few questions about where the store was and punched the address into his phone. Mia really didn't want to partake in Abu's funeral – because let's face it, that's what they were doing – so she resumed her work in the patio.

It'd been 5 days since she'd received Bucky's postcard and gift, and since then, she'd tried to send an alert to him through the beeper twice. But strangely, she hadn't gotten a reply either time, and there wasn't much stopping her from trying a third.

She kept the beeper on her person at all times, as she did at that moment. She reached into her apron and tossed it a little in her hand, hoping that good things came in threes. She pressed the button once and prayed that he got it, desperately waiting to know if he was safe in his little corner of the world.

Zeyn would be gone for at least an hour on his errand, and it was Mia's turn to restock the soda fridge at the far corner of the restaurant. She went about her work, quietly humming along to the soft Italian music playing in the background. It wasn't until 15 minutes into her doing so that she heard the bell of the door ring, right as she was stacking the bottom-most shelf of the fridge.

"Sorry, I'll be with you in a sec," she apologised with her back still to the customer.

She didn't get a reply immediately, but when she did, it did well to make her drop the two cans of Pepsi she held in her hands.

"I've been waiting a while," the man said.

She knew it was him without so much as a glance. Feeling her breathing become slowly ragged, Mia shut her eyes and felt the chill of the fridge send a shiver down her spine. She'd _completely_ forgotten that this could happen, that the possibility of a situation like this unfolding was rather high. But she had to face him because, truthfully, there was no way she could avoid it. And so face him she would.

She turned towards him and kept her hands by her side as she took him in. The first thing she noticed was that he'd grown his hair out, as well as his beard. He stood in a tailor-made suit that fit him to a T, still as dashing as she'd once remembered him. He wore a small smile with unsure green eyes as he took a moment to look her over as well, and Mia _hated_ how for a fleeting moment, he made her feel 19 again.

"Look at you," said Vas with a little laugh. "Wow, you…you look gorgeous."

Mia rubbed her palms together nervously and licked her dry lips. "Vas, what…how did you know…I was here?"

He shook his head. "Zara told me you worked at an Italian restaurant in the city. Not gonna lie, I had to go to a few of them before I got the right one," he smiled. "It's so good to see you, Alfie."

Zara was one of her close friends from school back home, and though she couldn't blame her, she really wished she hadn't told him.

He looked around at the restaurant and nodded, "I see you got into the food gig as well. This place looks nice," he said with genuine regard.

Mia swallowed. "Yeah, it's...it's great." She nodded once, hoping she could get by on exchanging pleasantries. "How long are you here for?"

"The convention finished a few days ago." He licked his lips and said a little nervously, "Haven't booked a flight home yet. I was just…building up the courage to do this," he gestured between them. Mia looked like she was immediately about to make an excuse to leave, which is why he hastened, "I know…look, believe me, I know you don't want to do this. But please, just let me explain."

"Vas, I—"

"Mia," he inched closer to her. "Please, don't tell me I came all this way for nothing."

Mia shook her head. "No one asked you to come here, Vas."

"But I _had_ to. Listen," he said with a look that was borderline desperate for her to understand. He knew he didn't have long to maintain her attention, so he simply said what he needed to say. "I'm sober now, I've been clean for 6 months. Alright, not a drop. And look, I've gotten my shit together, I've got a new job, I'm taking care of myself—"

"Vas—"

"—worked things out with my family. Mia, I'm…I'm trying to tell you that I'm doing good."

She leaned in and said with a heart filled to the brim with sincerity, "And I'm really happy for you. Believe me, I _want_ you to be happy."

"Then give me one more chance, Mia. Please, I…" he ran a hand over his eyes. "The booze and the girls, and the fucking job, I gave it up because _you_ were the only thing out of all of that that mattered."

"Please, don't."Mia shut her eyes and shook her head, "Not now."

"And I was too fucked up to realise a good thing when I had it, but I needed to change. And Mia, look at me…" he let a hand hover at her elbow as she brought her eyes to meet his. "I've changed."

Mia couldn't believe this was happening, right there in the middle of her place of work. All the words he was saying and the reasons he was churning, everything…just a year too late for it to mean anything. She looked down at her feet as she said quietly, "I'm sorry."

For a moment, he looked as though he was about to persist. But whatever it was that deterred him, Vas lowered his hand and let out a deep breath as he stood in front of her. Neither one of them looked at each other in the eye, but they were both thinking the same thing. They themselves had shared lazy Sunday mornings together, and autumn evenings exploring the city they lived in. There were ample good memories, and for Mia, he'd been her first for so many things.

But the cloud that obscured their happiness was what they'd become towards the end of it. The fights, the drunken nights and the toxicity that oozed from their encounters…none of it was something Mia wanted to venture back into, changed or not.

"Why?" he asked softly, almost as if he were afraid to know the answer. "You know I need you, Mia."

Mia raised her gaze to meet his and put it as simply as she could. "You're too late, Vas." She shook her head and gestured a hand to him. "Where was this guy when it was all falling apart?"

"He needed you, too," he answered.

Mia laughed without humour. "No. No, he needed me to be there as a token." She paused, and only spoke with a quiet voice. "I was the one person who…". She couldn't quite bring herself to say the words, but she continued, "And you threw it away for people who won't even remember your name."

To that, he didn't have a reply. She was right, and this may well have been the moment she needed to finally bury their past.

"I know you've changed. The Vas I knew never would've taken what I've had to say." Mia let out a breath as she uttered words she believed to her core. "But I'm happy now, more than I've ever been."

He understood in that moment exactly what she was getting at, and the jolt of pain that plagued him at the thought of her with someone else hit all too soon. Not only that, but the idea that she was happier now than she ever was with him hadn't even occurred to him in the time leading up to their meeting. For some reason, in his mind, he thought she'd still be pining away for him, like she did when they were younger. He figured she'd still be stuck in the same rut he was, but it was a little too clear just how wrong he was.

He nodded and tried to formulate a sentence as he put both of his hands in his pant pockets. "Is he a Yank?"

Mia nodded and stayed a little wary, not quite sure of what his reaction would be. And apparently, he noticed the hesitance in her stature.

"You seem so scared of me," he said in a voice just short of broken. "When did I let that happen?"

Mia didn't know how to respond, so he simply continued. "Y'know, I thought we'd spend the rest of our lives together." He looked down at his shoes and tapped a heel nervously. "Had it all planned out."

Mia swallowed and kept her eyes on the floor as she spoke. "We'd never have made it to the end." He looked pained, and Mia saw vulnerability in his eyes that hadn't been there since their first year together. She'd gotten to know him so deeply, and she knew he was hurting as he stood in front of her.

She spoke earnestly, "You're a good man, Vas."

"C'mon Mia, don't do that," he brushed her off.

"Hey," she said. "You did some fucked up things, but…so much of it was good, too." She nodded, "And soon, you'll meet a girl who gets that. But Vas," she shook her head, "I'm not her."

He felt his jaw clench as he asked, "Are you that girl for someone else?"

Mia kept her gaze steady locked with his as she answered. "I am."

Vas nodded and bounced himself on his heels once, an anxious habit he'd had since Mia had first met him. Neither one of them spoke for what seemed like a lifetime, but spanned for only a few minutes, Not quite sure what to say herself, Mia felt the tension leave her body almost as soon as he guessed, "Would he kill me if he saw me talking to you?"

Mia nodded with the hint of a relieved smile on her lips. "In a heartbeat."

He grinned, a little pained but for someone who'd just been dealt what he had, it was more than enough. He ran a hand through his hair and let it rest at the back of his neck as he said softly, "I should go."

Mia didn't reply, but simply fiddled with the string of her apron.

He took a step away from her and said gently, "Take care of yourself, Alfie."

Her lips curled into a sad smile. "You too, Kosta."

They shared a look that spoke of closure and finality as Vas backed his way towards the entrance. Mia watched him make his way out, her breathing resuming normalcy and the strangest feeling of a lifted burden in her heart. She was about to continue on with her previous task of re-stocking the fridge to calm her down further, but then she noticed an inaudible kafuffle at the front door.

As Vas was leaving, another man was trying to make his way in through the same small door. They awkwardly tried to step around each other for a moment, before the man clad in a tightly-brimmed hat walked in first while Vas courteously stepped to the side, keeping the door open. And the second Mia got the _vaguest_ glimpse of his face, her reaction was immediate.

Dropping the cloth she had in her hand, Mia took 4 long strides with wide eyes towards Bucky and launched herself into his arms, something that was becoming a recurring habit between the two of them. The blinding smile she wore and the shiny eyes she closed were mirrored by him, with the weight of the world falling off of his shoulders the longer they stayed entwined. His head was nuzzled snugly into her neck, and her arms were clasped in a vice-like grip around him. Unknowingly repeating nonsensical words of gratitude to God, Mia took in a deep breath and laughed a little hysterically as they unwilling began to unwind from one another.

And unbeknownst to either of them, the man of Mia's past watched on in pure heartache as the door slowly fell shut.

"You're back," Mia marvelled, holding both sides of his face between her hands. Whether it was Vas' visit, or just the overwhelming relief that he was safe, she didn't know, but her instinct led her to lean in for a kiss that was as breathtaking as it was earnest.

She pulled away, only to smile stupidly at the look on his face. However, she suddenly realised that he also hadn't responded to her past _3_ alerts, prompting her to hit him uselessly on either shoulder. "Do you have any idea how _freaking_ worried I was?!

Bucky flinched and couldn't help the boyish smile that formed on his lips as he tried to fight off her hopeless attacks. "Mia—Hey, Mia."

She prodded a stiff finger at his chest (which really only hurt her) as she said, "If you were doing the whole 'hard to get' thing, then I swear—"

"Mia, listen," he effectively held both of her hands in between their chests and let out a breath. "I'll explain later, but I can't stay."

Her face immediately fell. "What do you mean?"

"Debriefing," he said shortly. "I'll be done in a few hours, they're waiting outside." He looked down at her and thanked the Lord Himself for getting to take in those baby browns once more. "I just had to see you."

Mia shook her head and didn't fight the urge to lean in for another kiss, her hand clutching at his shirt under his jacket and her heart aflutter when his hand cupped the side of her jaw. They didn't quite comprehend that they were standing in the middle of a respectable restaurant, nor that customers could make their way in at any moment. But then and there, nothing mattered but them.

Bucky was the one who had to, regrettably, break away from her as he said, "Mia, I—I gotta go."

"Wait, just," she held onto his hands, one gloved and the other flesh. "Are you okay? I mean," she looked him over quickly, "You're not hurt, or…?"

He shook his head, "I'm fine. Just…" he shut his eyes let out a small breath. "I'll see you soon, I promise."

She nodded. "Okay, yeah, okay—"

"Jesus!" said a familiar voice as he walked through the front door. "I was wondering when I might see you again."

Bucky didn't know that Zeyn was speaking to him – because, though he'd had many nicknames before, Jesus _definitely_ wasn't one of them – and it took him a moment to register what exactly was going on. He looked at Mia for a fleeting second, who nodded in an 'I'll explain later' sort of way, before turning back to Zeyn with a small smile.

However, none of that mattered when Zeyn's phone started ringing and he gestured in apology to Bucky as he picked it up. Mia took the moment of reprieve to explain a few things to Bucky that he should _probably_ know about himself.

"Your name is Bucky Jesus," she said quietly.

He sent a confused look her way. "…Pardon?"

She waved dismissively, "It's a long story." She anxiously patted his shoulder as she remembered, " _And_ you're from Trinidad."

Bucky didn't think he could furrow his brows any more than they already were, but alas, anything can happen. "What did you do?" he asked simply.

Mia's cheeks took on a light shade of pink as she said sheepishly, "Just trying to…give you a cool backstory…?"

"Trinidad?" he asked with a raised brow. " _Jesus_?"

She put a piece of hair behind her ear. "It was either that or Bucky Eugene from Greece." Bucky looked even _more_ baffled as Mia said absently, "Actually, that would've been so much better."

"Mia," said Zeyn.

She turned his way and got an immediately bad feeling as she saw the worried look on his face. "What happened?"

"It's _khaala_." He swallowed, "She's coming."

X

 _Taeam_ \- Food


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes: GUYYYYYSSSSSS HAYYYOOOOOO! How are y'all doing? Hope the weather's beautiful where you're at and that the cute guy/gal at the supermarket smiled at you today :')) I'm actually so blown away right now because we are at CHAPTER 20! I can't believe that this started out as a crazy idea between my best friend and I, and now it's gotten over 13,000 views by you beautiful people who've taken the time out to read it. It's just crazy, and I can never stress enough how much each review and follow means to me. It helps a whole lot when I'm unsure about whether to continue writing or not, and it's the only reason I didn't stop at Chapter 10, so THANK YOU! :'))))))**

 **Also, total side note, stats say that we've got a couple of readers from Guernsey, which is INSANE because, in my ignorance, I didn't even know that an island like that existed! So, HEY EVERYONE FROM GUERNSEY! :')))))))**

 **Ok annnddd you may have noticed that this chapter is almost DOUBLE the size of a regular chapter, and that is because SADLY I won't be able to update for a few weeks :'(( we have our major exam block coming up, and I do NOT fancy repeating this semester of university. Just. NO. So, that being said, I hope this chapter makes up for me not updating for a while, but I'll try my best to do some writing here and there. Again, your thoughts mean the world to me, so please share them!**

 **Andddddd a side-side note, Ramadan Mubarak to any and all observing! :') Hope your fasts are easy and you attain every goal you set out for yourself ( + eat the most amazing of foods hehehe). May you and your families have a blessed month!**

 **Anywayyyyyy, I'm gonna shut up now, BUT I HOPE YOU ENJOYY GUYSSS! Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 20

"There's gotta be a way out of this."

Zeyn shook his head as he cleaned the window lazily. "There isn't."

Mia groaned as she scrubbed down the kitchen bench. "It's not like she'll miss us. I'm telling you, if we leave now, I can get us 2 tickets to Malta and be gone before her plane lands."

"We don't have visas for Malta," he deadpanned.

Mia paused. "…I know a guy."

"You know a guy that can get us Maltese visas in 2 hours?"

She nodded. "I met him on one of my midnight Taco Bell runs last year. He's legit."

Zeyn squinted. "What's his name?"

"People in the fake-visa community call him 'The Nomad'," she said ominously. Zeyn simply stared at her boredly, so she added, "Okay, but his real name's Derek."

"I think it'd be better if we left Derek and his gonads out of this."

" _Nomad_ , jeez dude," she corrected.

They cleaned away in silence, preparing both physically and mentally for the arrival of their aunt. Her plane was set to land in the early hours of the following day, but unless they cleaned the house within an inch of perfection, they'd have to hear more than a few earfuls for the rest of the week.

Bucky had left Mia that afternoon at the restaurant, with his own debriefing to attend. He hadn't said when he'd be back to drop by, but Mia hoped to God she wouldn't have to wait too long. It'd already been 2 weeks of not seeing him, and the thought of going several more days without knowing how his mission went or just _how he was_ in general was mind-numbing.

Mia and Zeyn had been hard at work for a few hours now, and whilst Mia was used to having strange cleaning fits every once in a while, Zeyn was _not_.

"Fuck this, man. She's not gonna come and inspect the windows for dust," he complained.

Mia gave him a look. "Maybe not at your house because you're a _guy_ , but if she sees that I haven't maintained the place well, it'll automatically become about my lack of character and how I'm not woman enough to run a household."

"You're exaggerating," said Zeyn.

She scoffed. "Just wait 'til she gets here, you'll see."

Zeyn let out a sigh and tossed the dirty cloth back in the bucket. "Well, either way, it's clean enough now. I'm hitting the showers."

"Go for gold," she said without looking up at him. She spent another 15 minutes ridding the kitchen of every dust particle that may have settled between the crevices in the wooden bench, as well as doing an award-winning cleaning haul of the fridge. It took a while for her to be totally satisfied, but when she was…well, there wasn't quite a feeling that compared to it.

Mia put away the cleaning products and vacuum, only to copy Zeyn's idea and hit the showers for a brief hose down. It couldn't be long and luxurious like she wanted it to be, because she had to wake up for a landing plane in about 6 hours, but it got the job done.

She was detangling her wet hair in front of her mirror, still wrapped in a towel and eyes slowly growing heavier as the on-set of a welcome night of sleep crept up on her. She quickly shrugged on a thin tank top and some pyjama shorts, fully ready to shut the lights - and her mind - off. But then, the blaring sound of her apartment's phone set off, indicating that someone had buzzed in her number at the building's entrance.

More than woken up at this point, Mia kept her guarded hopes at bay that it might be Bucky, rushing out of her room and picking up the phone unsurely. "Hello?"

"Hope I didn't wake you," came a gloriously familiar voice, one that did poorly to hide the smile on his face as he spoke.

Mia let out a wide grin of her own. "As a matter of fact, you did. I was having an amazing dream, too." She tried to keep herself from laughing. "This better be good."

Bucky took in a small, sharp breath and said, "Then I'll let you get back to it. Sorry for the disruption."

Mia was quick to disagree. "Hey, no—Wait!" She ignored the small laugh Bucky let out and continued, "I think Zeyn's asleep. I'd…invite you up, but…I don't think we should risk it."

He let out a small noise in agreement. "You wanna go for a walk?"

Biting her lip and trying to contain her excitement at the thought, Mia nodded to herself and said, "Give me 2 minutes."

She cut the phone and rushed to her room, quickly shrugging on a thin crop sweater and putting on her slippers. It wasn't a very glamorous look, but she rocked it nonetheless. And, if she silenced the occasional whispers of doubt that resulted from her nerves, she'd know he would love it. Keeping that thought aside, Mia shut the door to her room and peeked to see if Zeyn's light was on, doing a mini-celebration when she saw it wasn't. Not waiting another moment, she quietly made her way to the front door and closed it behind her as she power-walked to the elevators.

Minutes couldn't wind by fast enough as she tapped her foot on the way down to the lobby floor, shuffling out of the elevator as soon as its doors fell open and keeping her eyes wide in search for a sign of him. She made her way out of the building and looked around silently, before letting out a small call of his name. "Bucky?"

Mia squealed in surprise instantly when she saw him leaning against the darkened wall beside the entrance. "Oh my— _Frick_." She put a hand over her heart and shook her head at the small smile on his face. "You just do it on purpose now."

He pushed himself off of the wall and made his way closer. "Gotta keep you on your toes."

"And my blood pressure elevated," she joked. The minute he came into the light shining from the lobby, she let out the most satisfying sigh of relief. "God, I'm so—"

This time, it was Bucky who couldn't wait for her sentence to finish before he leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss, promptly stealing her breath and doing well to make her forget whatever she'd been meaning to say. She let her hand splay across the scruff of his jaw, while his simply went to hover at her waist. It was beautiful and heartfelt, and the perfect way to say 'hello' again.

When they broke apart, Mia kept her eyes closed while Bucky opened his, grateful to see her after what had been a most _trying_ mission.

He asked a little breathlessly, "You were saying?"

She opened her eyes and laughed into the small space between them. "Gimme a minute, it'll come back to me."

 _Somehow,_ Bucky took that as a cue to lean in for another kiss, and though it took Mia a little by surprise, _dear Lord_ she wasn't about to complain. Nothing about it was rushed or needy, but it felt like the kind of unison people cherished when they'd known each other their whole lives. Mia was more than happy to take advantage of his strange forwardness that night, but she didn't have a clue as to what had brought it on.

Bucky didn't want to tell her the details for fear of frightening her too much, but he'd had 2 dizzyingly close brushes with death in the past 14 days. The first had been the day he'd written her the post card, when a bullet had lodged itself a couple of inches away from the left ventricle in his heart, while he hadn't been wearing his tactical suit. It had hurt more than other bullet wounds had before, but his gratitude at being alive was what had prompted him to write her, knowing that there was a likelihood he mightn't get the chance again.

The second time had been the swing of a blunt hammer towards the peak of his spinal cord. Whether it was divine intervention or just good ol' fashioned luck, he didn't know, but the hammer had missed and made contact with his right trap instead. That time, he'd been knocked out for a few minutes and had lost his beeper in the process, which was why he hadn't been able to return any of Mia's alerts. The reality was that though his strength was significant in its impressiveness, he still had a few very, _very_ human weaknesses.

And that's why he stood in front of her apartment building, knowing full well that things could've gone very differently. The fact that he got to taste her lips and tangle his fingers in her still-damp hair was a blessing in its own, and if he hadn't been made fully aware of what a luxury it was to have her in his life before, he damn well knew it now.

After several moments wasted away with the two of them still locked like they hadn't been before, Mia let out a small whimper from the base of her throat and pulled away as she took a few deep breaths. She held a hand at his chest and looked up at him with wide eyes. "Wait, wait, wait."

He stared at her with a heavy-lidded gaze and asked, "Yeah?"

"I feel like I'm missing something here," she said with a small smile. "Is everything okay? Is there some bad news you have to tell me?" Her smile faltered as she asked in a small voice, "You don't have to go on another mission straight away, do you?"

He shook his head and put her hair behind her ear before retracting his hand. "Nah, just…happy to be back."

She gave him a knowing squinty look and said, "You sure? No Romanian baby-mama that you're trying to break to me slowly or…" she curled her arms around his neck and asked bashfully, "Did you just miss me _that_ much?"

He let his hands rest lazily at her hips and smirked as he replied, "Is that so hard to believe?"

She nodded. "Oh, 100%. But, either way, you need to tell me about the," she leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, " _Mission_." She reassured, "Nothing super top-secret, just the basics. The weather, the food, _and_ if you're feeling generous, a little _something-something_ about some of the badass things you did."

He shook his head. "Y'know, sometimes you say things and I have no idea what you're talking about." When he was met with a confused look on her face, he repeated, " _Badass_?"

Her mouth fell open. "You guys didn't say 'badass' back then?" He looked at her plainly, and she let out a small groan as her head lulled forward onto his chest. "God, you're _so old_ , Buck."

He mentally rolled his eyes and waited for her head to resurface before he asked, "You wanna tell me what it is any time soon?"

She grinned a little. "It just means something cool. Y'know, did you smash a guy's head with a cinder block or…I don't know, disarm 7 ninjas at once?"

He nodded understandingly, "I definitely did a badass."

Mia laughed immediately at the needlessly proper way in which he said it, as wrong as it was. Her head fell back and her eyes closed shut as she struggled to say, "That's not—Bucky, oh my God. That's not how you use it in a sente—Y'know what, never mind." She ran her hands over her face and reminded him sweetly after she'd regained her breath, "I think you promised me a walk."

He nodded and turned so they could make their way down the large stairs towards the street. It was well past 12:00am, and so the streets were only disturbed by the passing of a few errant cars. It was a gorgeous night towards the end of June and the summer breeze cooled the air as they dawdled along the path. "But seriously, how did everything go?" she asked.

He shoved his hands in his pant pockets and replied, "Fine." He shrugged, "Long, I guess. Shouldn't have taken us 2 weeks."

She asked cautiously, "Did everything…get done?"

He nodded, "It did."

Satisfied with that answer, she moved onto something she'd wanted to thank him for since she'd laid eyes on it. "I can't tell you how beautiful that perfume is, y'know. And the postcard you sent," she shook her head, "My God, that cathedral is one of the prettiest things I've ever seen."

His lips upturned and he answered, "Yeah, it is."

"Did you stay there the whole time?" she asked quietly.

"Mostly. Didn't wanna leave."

"What's it like? I'm gonna butcher the pronunciation, is it…Sibiu _?_ " He nodded in affirmation and she continued with a laugh, "Well, what was _Sibiu_ like?"

They turned a corner into one of the more suburban streets as he answered, "It's in Transylvania. S'not a big place, not too many people. There's this river that runs through the city centre, and mountains on either side of town."

Mia listened intently and visualised his description in her mind. "That sounds breathtaking."

He nodded, "Didn't get to do too much sightseeing, though."

They elapsed into a comfortable silence as they walked at a languid pace. "You said you thought you'd been there before…that it felt familiar," said Mia. "Why?"

Bucky let out a small breath. "We went by this line of houses, looked like brownstones. Didn't hit me at first, but the more I looked at 'em…just couldn't shake the feeling I'd seen them somewhere." He paused, "I asked Steve if we ever went there with the Commandoes, he said no. So…," he let the sentence linger, and it didn't take Mia long to figure out the rest.

 _If he hadn't gone to Sibiu as Sergeant Barnes, he'd been there as the Soldier._

Bucky fell quiet for the minutes that followed, troubled contemplation etched in his features. It wasn't the first place he'd revisited that held some history of his past life, but it troubled him that he couldn't remember what had happened there. Unfortunately, it only fuelled his tendency to exaggerate the crimes he might've committed, and that didn't serve anyone _any_ good.

Mia was the one who decided to break the silence when they neared the end of the street. "How'd the others do? Were you boys completely lost without Black Widow keeping you in line?" she smirked.

Bucky shook his head. "Tasha was on the earpiece most of the time." Mia made a mental note of how much she loved that Bucky called her 'Tasha', though she didn't know when the nickname had come about. Bucky continued, "They were good. The Bird wouldn't shut up about your cooking, though."

Mia laughed and shook her head, "Is there ever gonna come a time where you call him 'Sam', or…?"

He shook his head. "Not a chance." Before Bucky forgot to ask, he remembered that when he'd walked past the window of the restaurant that day, he'd seen Mia talking to the same man he'd awkwardly stepped around upon his entrance. "Who was that guy today?"

Mia asked absently, "What guy?"

"Tall, dark suit, at Nora's," he described. Immediately, he noticed Mia's stature stiffen slightly, and judging by her brief description of the man from her past, he didn't take too long to piece the clues together.

"It was Vas, actually. He, uh, came by to see me," she said, eyes glued to her moving feet. "Didn't stay for long."

"Didn't give you any trouble, did he?" Bucky asked, with protectiveness evident in his voice.

Mia smiled softly at him. "No, not at all. He was telling me how he's sober now, been taking care of himself and all." She swallowed, "He, uh…wanted to pick up where we left off."

Though Bucky should've known what the answer would be, there was a nagging thought in his mind that shrouded his confidence with doubt. The man he'd seen at the restaurant looked nothing short of handsome, and was exactly the sort of guy that Bucky could see a girl like Mia with. Even though she was here with him and had greeted his return with pent-up excitement…he just had to be sure.

"…What did you think?" he asked a little timidly.

He should've expected Mia to go off on a rant about how she didn't feel the same way about him, how she'd never even think about trying to rekindle that flame. Hell, even the silent treatment would've served as a decent reply to a question as plainly obvious as that. But what he got instead was…nothing short of _reassuring._

Without any real warning at all, Mia halted in her spot and turned to grab the white shirt Bucky wore under his jacket with one hand. Scrunching it into a fist, she _yanked_ him down to her level and planted a kiss on him that did well to silence his mouth and mind. He didn't make a move to touch any part of her, because if anything, the kiss seemed like an expression of agitation rather than a sweet declaration of warmth. Part of his shirt was still bundled in her hand when she applied a bit more pressure to his lips, before breaking away from him and looking him square in the eyes.

"Any other questions?" she asked with a hint of mischief in her tone.

He took in a very much needed breath and shook his head a little dumbly. "No, ma'am."

Smiling at the pet name and smoothing out the part of his shirt she'd crinkled, Mia fell back into step and walked ahead of him. Shaking himself out of a temporarily dazed state, he caught up to her with a half-jog and returned her small smile with one of his own.

They ended up walking around the block one more time, before Mia complained, "I'm actually so hungry, you have no idea."

"Didn't you have dinner?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Nope. I finished my shift and started cleaning down the house the minute I got home. _Khaala_ is a total stickler for cleanliness."

"She won't be staying in a hotel?"

Mia laughed without humour. "Oh my God, _I wish_. Culturally, your family members always stay with you if they travel. And don't get me wrong, I _love_ that, it's one of my favourite things. But…it's just," she shrugged. " _Her_."

Bucky nodded in understanding. "What time does her plane land?"

"8:00am. Gotta get up early to cook a banquet for breakfast," she laughed.

"You wanna save me something?" he asked with a glint in his eye, one that seemed to make its way onto his face _a lot_ lately.

She gave him a look. "If you're willing to climb up the fire escape for 17 floors and sit at my window, I'll give you breakfast, lunch _and_ dinner. But I'm afraid there can't be any front door entrances while she's around."

Bucky kept that little thought at the back of his mind, ready to revisit it later. But for now, his attention was drawn to the little lady at his hip who looked like she was about to pass out from starvation. And being a mannered man of the century, it was his duty to do something about it.

Taking her hand in his own and leading her away from the footpath, he guided them briskly across the mildly busy street – much to the annoyance of the cars passing – and halted them at the front of the convenience store he'd once visited.

"Oh my—I'm pretty sure that guy that honked was my neighbour," she said breathlessly. She looked up at the blinking light of the corner-shop and asked, "You dying to see Mr Levin again or something?"

He shook his head. "Being hungry doesn't suit you."

She furrowed her brows. "Thank…you?"

Needlessly taking her hand in his once more – though, she wasn't about to complain – Bucky opened the door and greeted the man behind the counter with a small nod.

"Miriya. Long time," he said with a sour face, though she figured he couldn't really help it.

Mia waved a little. "Hey, Mr Levin."

"You are out late," he said in his heavily accented English. "Forget your woman products again?"

Mia's eyes widened and a light blush bloomed across her cheeks. "Um…no, I just—"

"—only ever come here to get period pads—"

"No! No, nope, nothing like that, just getting food. We're gonna go out back, thank you!" Mia said in mumbled haste. She led Bucky by the wrist to the farthest aisle that would obscure them from the _overly personable_ shopkeeper. Once there, she leant on the tall shelf filled with cans of tuna and said with her eyes shut, "I need this day to end."

Bucky nudged her with his shoulder and smiled at her dramatism. "What do you feel like?"

"A bit of a loser, really," she said sadly.

"…I meant to eat."

Mia opened her eyes and cleared her throat. "Right, yes, food. Um," she walked towards the other aisles and scanned the products. Bucky followed closely and picked up a few random items, some of the disturbing international flavours he'd seen last time resurfacing.

"…'Oatmeal Flavoured Noodles'?" he asked with a grimace.

Mia came up from behind him and leant her chin on his shoulder unthinkingly to get a look at the product in his hand. She let out a silent sigh. "I think, as a species, we can't really be saved."

Quietly chuffed at the heightened levels of comfortability they'd shared that night, Bucky placed the noodles back where he found them and moved with her to the next aisle. They passed all things from Pakistani crackers to Indonesian spaghetti, even some Thai lamingtons. But eventually, Mia meandered her way to the only section that would truly bring her consuming, unhinged happiness:

The candy aisle.

"I know I'm gonna get a major sugar high, and I probably won't be able to go to sleep for another 4 hours, but," she shook her head. "Fuck it."

He let out a laugh at her unexpected crudeness – something he could _definitely_ get used to – and watched in awe as she picked 7 different types of chocolate bars and biscuits. She explained each one to him and the reasons why it would 'change his life forever', getting that same sparkle in her eye that always seemed to ignite when talking about food he'd missed out on over the years.

"—don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise, Snickers is the gateway to Heaven. It's that simple," Mia shrugged. She grabbed 3 and shoved them into his hands, along with the 5 other types of sugary-goods she'd already entrusted him with, and took a moment to observe the damage she'd done.

Without any exaggeration, the first thing that came to Mia's mind was that he looked like the most over-sized child, carrying an entire shelf's worth of chocolate biscuits and bars in his gloriously wide frame.

"I kinda think that your muscles aren't good for anything else but carrying junk food," she said with unhidden joy. "It's beautiful."

Bucky had to use his chin to keep all the goods in place, and the visual was nothing short of one of the funniest things she'd ever seen. Wanting to keep that moment enshrined in her memory forever, Mia pulled out her phone from the pocket in her shorts and stuttered with a dizzyingly gorgeous giggle. "Wait, stay right…there," she said as she took a clear photo.

Bucky looked at her without sharing the amusement she seemed to have at the sight, and asked, "Anything else?"

Mia rolled her eyes good-naturedly and grabbed his bicep to haul him to the counter. "No, Uncle Phil, we're all done." Bucky sent a confused look at the reference, to which she replied, "One of these days, you're gonna have to watch all 6 seasons of 'The Fresh Prince'."

Bucky deposited all the loot onto the counter and watched on as Mr Levin took his sweet time in scanning them all. They waited around for a few minutes, and it was only when the price came up that the horrifying realisation dawned on Mia that she'd forgotten her wallet back home.

"Oh my God, please don't tell me I left my—"

In the time she'd spent fretting over her forgetfulness, Bucky had already paid for the goods and had the bags in his hands, ready to leave the store. "Let's go," he said.

She kept the door open for him and said once they were outside, "You seriously can't keep paying for everything."

Bucky gave her a look and asked confidently, "You gonna stop me?"

"You think I won't?" she quipped.

He clenched his jaw to keep from laughing and said, "I think you _can't_."

She raised her brows and let out a small laugh in disbelief. "Oh, so that's how it's gonna be?" He didn't respond, rather he simply looked ahead with a small smile as they crossed the street back towards the front of her building. "Just for that, I'm gonna have the first bite of the Snickers, Mr Barnes."

 _Why_ it happened, he didn't know, but the shiver that ran down his spine at those words was something he hadn't felt with her before. As their time together progressed, he'd noticed how much more playfulness they showed with one another. Sometimes, he wouldn't even notice that he was doing it until it was all said and done. And though he didn't want to give this theory too much acknowledgement, a thought in his mind said that maybe, _just maybe,_ parts of who he'd once been were coming back to him.

Mia reached into one of the bags and got out a Snickers bar, unwrapping it and closing her eyes as she took the first bite into its delectable chocolate covering.

"Sweet _Jesus_ ," she whimpered as she shook her head. "I forgot how good these were." Wordlessly, Mia held it in front of him, but remembered that he had mildly-heavy bags in either hand. Rather than wait for him to put them down, she brought the bar up to his mouth and watched him take a bite, his eyes stuck to hers the entire time, and the strangest chill covering her arms with goosebumps as he did.

She swallowed and tried to keep all the ragingly R-Rated thoughts to herself as he chewed on the Snickers and let his eyes fall to the ground. Weirdly, she felt as though she was noticing things about him that night that she never had before. For instance, the way a few veins in his hand were made visible as he carried the grocery bags, or the way his Adam's apple moved when he swallowed the chocolate. They weren't things that were _traditionally_ enticing or attractive, but the more she had a chance to notice them…the more she felt as though that's _exactly_ what they were designed to be.

Clearing her throat and looking away to regain her composure, Mia asked as he finished his bite, "Are you dead?"

Figuring that that phrase was just something young people said to describe when something was 'really good' these days, he nodded. "I like that."

"Yeah?" she asked with a smile.

He ran over his teeth with his tongue and watched as she took another bite of her own. Mia wasn't the only one having a silent hormone-attack at the sight of someone eating, and though Bucky knew that nothing she was doing was necessarily _sexual_ …the look of pure indulgence on her face as she chewed on the bar wasn't exactly innocent.

Not. At. All.

They took another bite each before it was finished, and Mia pocketed the wrapper as she licked what remained from her thumb.

 _Stop fucking looking at her, Barnes. Don't make eye contact while she's—Fuck, you made eye contact. Look away._

Bucky's inner dialogue was halted when Mia asked, "So, do I get to see you soon?"

He cleared his throat and nodded, "I'll be around."

She took a step closer to him and met his gaze. "I think we're still kinda due for another date."

He looked down at her. "One wasn't enough?"

She shook her head at his coyness. "I haven't gotten enough free meals outta you yet."

He let out a breath and guessed, "So, that's why you stuck around?"

She nodded, "I'm sorry. Y'know, this would be _a lot_ easier if I was attracted to you, but," she shrugged apologetically, "You can't win 'em all."

Bucky hummed lowly in agreement. "That's a shame. I was gonna help you."

Mia's brows furrowed, "Help me with what?"

"Getting into your apartment. Guess you'll have to sleep out here tonight."

Mia's grew even more confused. "What? Why?"

"Because you left your keys upstairs," he said knowingly.

Mia's face fell as she patted the pockets in the front of her shorts, finding only her phone in them. Her eyes widened and she let out a small noise in disbelief. "Wha—How did you know?!"

"Couldn't hear them while you were walking. And," he looked pointedly at her _fitted_ shorts, "You can't really hide much in those."

Mia's cheeks took on a subtle shade of pink as she ran a hand over her eyes. "Oh _man,_ I'm gonna have to wake Zeyn up."

Rather than saying anything, Bucky led the way towards the front of her building, keying a code into the little box beside the apartment phone booth. Before Mia knew it, the automatic doors fell open to the lobby, and Bucky waltzed in with two bags still in his hands.

 _So,_ that's _how he gets into the building._

Not having known that it was possible to get into the lobby without an apartment keycard, Mia quickly ran in behind Bucky and followed him to the elevator. Apparently, that wasn't a problem for him either, because he dialled a unique pin into the small keypad beneath the floor numbers. They heard a sound of confirmation, and the lift starting moving up to Level 17, with Bucky's face completely neutral while Mia's mouth was left hanging open dumbly.

"…How do you know all those codes?" she asked.

He looked over at her. "Tasha."

She nodded a little. "Right. Um, and…how are we gonna get into the apartment? Do you have an extra key, or…?"

He shook his head. "Don't need a key."

As cryptic as that sounded, Mia just felt immeasurable relief that she was with _him_ on a day where she'd forgotten her keys at home, otherwise she'd have had to call Langley to come and open the doors in the middle of the night, and she'd rather walk barefoot through Hell than do that.

Still lugging those plastic bags, Bucky led Mia towards her front door and held a finger to his lips, reminding her that silence was key in getting in undetected. She nodded and simply watched him put the groceries down, before reaching into his jacket's inner pocket and pulling out a small blade, one that couldn't be much bigger than his index finger.

Bucky leaned down to be level with the door handle, and got to work needling the blade into the keyhole. Besides the inevitable rustling of the knob, no sound was made that would even be remotely loud enough to wake Zeyn up. Mia had her hands clasped nervously at her chest as she peered over his shoulder, trying to get a good gauge of what he was doing. He'd been at it for about half a minute, and she figured they were at the home stretch.

And then the door opened.

…From the inside…

In one smooth movement, Bucky leapt back and pocketed the blade before he came face-to-face with the only other occupant of Mia's house. And though nothing had actually happened yet, he just knew things were about to get _weird._

"Zeyn!" said Mia with a fright. "I…man, I…thought you were asleep."

"I was eating cereal," he said with a half-knowing, half-unimpressed look on his face. He turned to Bucky and gave a small nod of the head. "What's up, Jesus?"

Bucky replied in kind. "Hey."

Mia felt her heart in her throat as she tried to diffuse the awkwardness. "We just…got some groceries! See," she pointed at the bags on the floor.

"Yeah?" asked Zeyn. "What'd you get?"

"Not much," she said carefully. "Bucky got me some candy."

"Oh, I bet he did," said Zeyn plainly.

 _What the…what?_

Wanting nothing more than to make them squirm a little longer, Zeyn leant on the side of the door and asked Bucky, "Which ones did you get, man?"

Mia sent Zeyn a look, which he _pointedly_ ignored, while Bucky tried to remember the name Mia had mentioned.

"Sneakers," he said with a nod.

Mia shut her eyes and whispered discreetly as she stood behind Bucky, "It's Snickers."

"Snickers," Bucky repeated. "The…peanut one."

Zeyn nodded slowly. "Right." He moved out of the doorway and gestured, "Why don't you come in, man? There's some Cap'n Crunch left."

Bucky shook his head. "No, I was just on my way."

"You sure?" asked Zeyn. "Got some other houses to break into?" he asked jokingly, though Mia could tell that he was having trouble overlooking the fact that his sister's boyfriend was a brooding, parti-time burglar.

"Okay, I'm actually really tired, and we gotta get up in a few hours," said Mia as she picked up the grocery bags. "I'll be there in a minute, Zeyn."

Zeyn let out a smug smile and nodded at Bucky. "It was good seeing you, bro. Feel free to drop by sometime. Preferably in the day," he said with a laugh.

Bucky smiled a little forcedly and replied, "I will."

Zeyn backed away from the door and said, "G'night."

When Zeyn left from sight - though Mia got the distinct feeling that he was dawdling somewhere near the kitchen - her and Bucky stood in front of one another at the doorway.

"I am _so_ sorry, I had no idea he was gonna be awake," she apologised.

"It's okay," he said with a shake of his head. "No big deal."

She sighed and leaned her shoulder against the doorframe. "Thanks for coming by. I needed it. And," she smiled at the floor, "I'm glad you decided to come back from a place as beautiful as that."

He swallowed and watched as her tired eyes sparkled for a no-good sort like him. "It's not as good as this."

Mia smiled and took the moment to lean in as close as she could to say, "Please come back soon."

A shiver jolted down Bucky's spine as her mouth hovered at his ear, before she brushed her lips down his cheek and left a chaste kiss on one side. Mia pulled back to see the slightly pained look on his face, and couldn't help but share the heartache at their rushed departure. Not ideal, but necessary for the moment.

"I will," he promised lowly.

Mia nodded one last time and shut the door slowly, letting out a deep breath as soon as she was closed in the confines of her home. Things shifted between them _every time_ they met, and considering how short a period they'd really known each other, it seemed as though things had been brewing between them for a lifetime.

"He got you some ' _candy_ '? At 1 in the morning?!" asked Zeyn as he stood with his cereal bowl at the kitchen bench.

Mia looked at him, unamused. "Dude, you were _so_ uncool just then!"

Zeyn widened his eyes. " _I_ was being _uncool_? What the hell am I supposed to do when I think my sister's sleeping in her room, then all of a sudden find out she was _actually_ having her house broken into by a guy _I know nothing about_?!"

Mia paused. "…I was _literally_ with him, I left my keys in here and he was helping me get inside without having to wake you!"

Zeyn shovelled another spoon of cereal. "Well, it's really comforting to know that he carries a freaking switchblade that's only good for picking locks with him everywhere he goes." He continued in a much more civil tone, "You gotta see it from my point of view, Mia."

Mia put the grocery bags on the table and walked towards him. "Zeyn, we've been through this, man. I told you I trust him."

Zeyn put his bowl on the bench and asked seriously, "Does it not matter to you that I think something's seriously off about him? I'm going off of my gut and it's only for your safety."

He sounded a little desperate for her to understand what he was saying, and because of their situation, Mia couldn't help but see reason. But telling Zeyn about who Bucky really was or what he'd been through just wasn't an option. And so, as always, she'd have to go with the answer that only brushed the surface of truth.

"Zeyn, look." She took in a deep breath. "I get what you're saying, believe me, I do. But Bucky's not someone you've typically seen me with, okay? You're used to Vas and Lenny, or the few guys I'd gone on dates with back home. But he's…God, he's nothing like them. And I mean that in the _best_ of ways."

Zeyn listened to her intently, because more than anything, he wanted to understand why she'd chosen who she had.

"You're seeing things wrong with Bucky because that's what you _want_ to see. Classic case of self-serving bias," she added for credibility. "You've got an idea in your mind about who he is, and you try to fit everything he does into that idea. But Zeyn, please listen to me. You've spoken all of 5 sentences to him, and haven't seen him for more than 10 minutes." Mia looked at her brother pleadingly, because he needed to see what she saw in him. "Just give him a chance. And I mean a _real_ chance, not the bullshit you've given him so far. And I promise, he's not gonna disappoint you."

Zeyn stayed quiet for the moments that followed, and Mia knew she had to give him time to answer when he felt right. Eventually, he uncrossed his arms and leaned one on the bench, lowering his gaze to the floor and saying lowly, "I just don't want you getting hurt over this shit." He shook his head, "And I know how you are, you let everyone fucking walk all over you, and you don't know what they've done 'til it's over."

Mia's lips parted in slight disbelief, because her brother had always been someone who used humour to insulate serious matters. But in the rare times that he opened up his heart and all that it held, she got the chance to see all that he sought to hide.

"I just don't want you getting into something that's gonna end bad, kid." He laughed sadly and said, "And to me, _any_ guy is bad news. I don't give a fuck if he's got Captain America as his character reference, that doesn't mean anything when it comes to how he'll treat _you_." He held a hand up and said, "I mean, picking locks, going on long 'work' trips, asking my sister to come out of the house at 1 in the morning…you've gotta see how shady that sounds to me."

Mia swallowed. "Zeyn, I…I get it, and I'm sorry that I haven't told you much else. But, I've been saying it from the start, just get to know him. I promise, you'll feel the same way about him as I do when you're done."

Zeyn let out a long sigh and contemplated that thought. Thankfully, he cracked a cheeky smile and said, "I doubt I'm gonna wanna have his babies."

Mia laughed and shrugged her shoulders, "Don't hold your breath." They both quietened down and stood barefoot on the cool kitchen floor as Mia continued, "Please, just…don't stress out about this stuff."

Zeyn gave her a look. "If you were a big brother, you'd know that's fucking impossible." She smiled softly before he went on. "But…I can tell he means something to you."

"He does," she affirmed. "Really."

He let out a long breath and stood still, waiting for a way to articulate what he felt.

"But who the _fuck_ names their kid 'Bucky Jesus', man?!"

X

"Oh my God, I see her. There—Zeyn, she's right there, by the phone booth," pointed Mia to her brother.

But before Zeyn had the chance to pinpoint his aunty from the crowd, she saw them first.

"Okay, she's seen us. Smile, _smile Zeyn_."

Mia put on a gorgeously large grin as she walked her way towards their aunty, the same woman who would likely be turning their lives upside down for the next few days.

But nevertheless, a hope remained buried in Mia's mind that somehow, through _some miracle,_ she'd show mercy.

" _Khaala_!" exclaimed Mia as her and Zeyn neared their aunt. "It's so good to see you!" she continued in Arabic.

Liliane Alfiyan was a beautiful and petite woman, one who stood at a solid 5'3 and weighed about as much as half a bag of rice. She'd been from another part of Syria, and so she had strikingly different features to Mia and Zeyn. Her hair was a luscious light brown, and her eyes were perhaps the bluest Mia had ever seen. Time had been kind to her, and though she was well in her 50's, most people mistook her for a woman who'd just seen her 30's. She possessed the kind of beauty that could've brought her fame and widespread adoration in another life, though she still embodied the ideals of vanity.

After not having seen her in person for more than a year, Mia realised that she'd almost forgotten how beautiful she was up close. And while her features were things to marvel at all on their own, Mia fell perplexed at the sight of something she'd rarely had the chance to garner from her aunt before; a small but present, _genuine_ smile.

"Miriya," she said with open arms and a light hug. Mia welcomed the embraced and furrowed her brows into oblivion at Zeyn, who watched on with his mouth agape. Her aunt pulled back and looked Mia over with her critical eye, continuing in Arabic, "You look lovely."

… _Surprised? Yeah._

… _Shocked? A little._

… _Speechless? Out of her_ fucking _mind._

"I… _khaala_ , thank…thank you," she stuttered like a blithering idiot.

Her aunt turned to Zeyn and leant up to give him a small kiss on the cheek. "How are you, son?"

Zeyn nodded and cleared his throat. "Good, _khaala_. Here, let me…" he took her suitcase from her.

 _Khaala_ easily forsaked her luggage and let Zeyn handle it while she began to walk alongside Mia. "This airport has more people than all of Sydney," she said annoyedly in Arabic.

Mia laughed a little. "Yeah, but it grows on you." She continued jovially, "How was your flight, _khaala_?"

They walked at a brisk pace, and her aunt was only half-paying attention, mostly trying not to get killed by the hoards of people walking in every direction. She didn't reply to Mia straight away, rather, she simply let out a string of gloriously native Arabic swear words under her breath, not fully at ease until they'd made it to the car park.

She straightened out her stylish pantsuit and shook her head. "What did you say?"

Mia repeated, "Your flight, how was it?"

 _Khaala_ waved her hand dismissively. "First class means nothing to people these days. They put me next to a man who snored for 9 hours straight. And when he wasn't sleeping, he was laughing hideously at the stupid show on his T.V. screen." She tried to remember what it was called by spitting a few ideas, "The one with the 2 men, the busty Spanish woman…I don't know, 'A Gay Family'?"

Mia furrowed her brows. "You mean…'Modern Family'?"

She nodded, "Yes, yes." Just as she was about to continue, _khaala_ came to a standstill and extended her arms in front of her to regain her momentary loss of balance. While Mia and Zeyn didn't think too much of it, it was something she was hoping to hide from them both.

They walked their way towards Abu, and Mia knew the _moment_ her aunt laid eyes on it that it might be their first topic of contention.

"This is…your car?" she asked, words dripping with disbelief.

To be fair, Abu wasn't the prettiest '67 Camaro to make its way on the road, complete with a dodgy bumper and a paint-job that made the black look _slightly_ green. And for someone who wasn't into cars _at all_ like _khaala_ , Mia could understand the shock.

"Yeah, it's…uh, I got it last year," said Mia carefully.

Her aunt continued to look at it as though it'd personally committed mass genocide. "You paid money for this?" Mia nodded, to which _khaala_ sighed and said, "At least it's a classic."

Mia and Zeyn whipped their heads in each other's direction, because _how did she even know what that meant_? Many unanswered questions swirling around in their heads, the two siblings opened their doors and sat in, already feeling as though this visit was going to be _vastly_ different than what they'd expected.

"You've lost weight, Miriya," she said as she fixed her hair in the fold-down mirror. "And your skin has gained colour," she continued approvingly. "When did this happen?"

Mia let out a breath and shook her head as she drove. "I…don't really know, _khaala._ Uh, I've spent a lot of time outdoors since college finished, and I had a tournament a few months back, so I had to get into shape for that."

"You are still fighting?" she asked, disapproval in her voice. "You still think suitable men propose to women who fight for a living?"

… _And THERE she is!_

Mia let out a small laugh. " _Khaala_ , I don't do it for a living, and I'm sure whoever I end up with will accept that it's something I'm passionate about."

 _Khaala_ let out a small sigh and leaned down to light a cigarette from her purse. "I'd prefer you were passionate about horse-riding or embroidery."

Mia let out an unperceivable breath as they continued along the road. She didn't know how long her aunt would be in town for, but getting frustrated this early on just _wasn't_ an option, and so, she played nice for all of their sakes.

"How's _khaalu_?" she asked.

 _Khaala_ let out a long puff of her cigarette and replied shortly, "Fine."

"When's he coming back from his trip?" asked Zeyn.

This time, she sounded genuinely agitated as she answered, "I will only know when he tells me."

Both the kids quietened down, and their aunt had the distinct talent of making them feel 12 again. The trip home wasn't long from there, and Mia and Zeyn subconsciously decided to keep the topics as light as possible until they reached the apartment.

The moment they walked into Mia's front door, Mia, Zeyn and _khaala_ were hit with the glorious aroma of fresh bread, spices and herbs that had been cooked up in the early hours of the morning. There really was nothing like walking into a house encapsulated by the smell of home-cooked food, and apparently, _khaala_ agreed with that wholly.

"You made something?" she asked, quietly pleased at the fact.

Mia nodded. "Just a few things, didn't know what you'd feel like after a long flight."

 _Khaala_ commenced her inspection of the house, putting her handbag onto one of the sofas and slowly taking in the place her niece had made her own. The apartment was newly built and more than spacious enough for a small family, with the view from the balcony the first thing that took her aunt's interest.

"What is this place?" _khaala_ asked as she pulled back the curtains.

"That's Bethesda. And then, beyond that, is the city." She watched as her aunt admired the landscape. "It's beautiful, right?"

 _Khaala_ simply nodded, her eyes still glued to the view before her. It was a clear day, with a slight breeze rustling the trees beneath the balcony. The sounds of the neighbourhood fell into the backdrop of the scene, and picture perfect wasn't nearly enough to describe the sky.

Clearing her throat, _khaala_ entered back into the house and said, "I would like to see where things are, Miriya."

"Oh, right. Okay, this is my room, and you've seen the kitchen and dining area. Uh, the main bathroom is right there and…"

Mia took her on a brief tour of the house and pointed out places to her before they sat down for a late breakfast. _Khaala_ and Zeyn took a seat while she dished out all the food onto platters, reheating things and putting the bread on the grill to lightly toast.

"Mia, you need any help?" asked Zeyn.

"Uh, can you just grab these dishes, please?" she replied.

Zeyn got up and took them to the dining table while Mia followed closely behind him, both unaware that _khaala_ was watching them keenly. "It is good to see you two together again," she said in Arabic.

They both looked up and then at each other. "Yeah, I'm happy he's here," said Mia with a smile.

"He told me he was going to surprise you, Miriya," said _khaala._ "What were you doing when he came knocking on the door?"

Mia and Zeyn settled into their seats as they laughed knowingly. "Uh, I was with a few friends, actually. I was… _definitely_ surprised."

"Friends? From college?" she asked curiously.

Mia worded carefully, "Well, they were from work. I had them over for a small dinner." Mia gestured for her to start, " _Khaala_ , please take something."

She nodded and began scooping out some _fattoush_ onto her plate. "How far is your work from here?"

"20 minutes on a good day, but 40 minutes during morning traffic."

Her aunt spooned a few olives and some feta cheese onto her plate before asking, "And how are your college friends? The Turkish girl you talked about?"

Mia smiled softly. "Mel? Yeah, she's good. She's actually in Turkey right now."

"Where in Turkey?" _khaala_ asked curiously.

"Hatay, _khaala_ ," Mia said.

Her aunt's gaze moved immediately to her as she lowered her spoon. "Your friend is from Hatay?" Mia nodded, to which she asked, "Do you know where that is?"

Mia answered carefully, "It's…on the Syrian border."

"Do you remember it?" she asked, strange hope riddled in her voice. Mia didn't quite know how to answer, because from memory, she'd only been there when she was much younger, accompanied by Zeyn and her mom.

"Uh, I think we went there when we were small. I might have been 8, Zeyn you must've been, what, 12, 13?" Zeyn nodded and looked at _khaala_ , whose face still held a look of remembrance, one that might have been reliving the past as they spoke.

"You don't remember when I took you?" she asked in a quiet voice.

Zeyn and Mia looked at each other, more than confused by the question. "When…you took us? I'm… _khaala_ , I don't think we've been to Hatay together," said Zeyn.

Their aunt lowered her cutlery and wiped her mouth before she looked at each of them as though she wished dearly for them to remember. "You were 8, Zeyn, and Miriya, you had just turned 4." She had the ghost of a smile on her lips as she continued. "Your uncle and I were to be married a month after that, and your mother was pregnant at the time."

Mia's mouth fell open in pure shock, because not only was it extremely rare for her aunt to speak about her mother, but she'd known next to nothing about the first miscarriage that had ridden her of a baby brother or sister.

"We took a bus to the fabric market in Hatay. The border was not difficult to pass back then, it was an hour's journey each way. I bought you clothes for the wedding, took you to the tailor's to get the stitching done." _Khaala_ swallowed, looking from one child to the other. "You don't remember?"

Mia couldn't believe what she was hearing, because there wasn't a single memory in her mind which suggested that that had happened. But somehow, there was an image nagging in Zeyn's mind that felt all too familiar for a story that had never happened.

"Did you…did you take us to meet someone…in a really big house?" asked Zeyn with furrowed brows.

 _Khaala_ let out a small smile at his recollection and nodded. "My sister. She lived there."

Zeyn shook his head. "I can't believe that was _you_. I remember that day, well, parts of it. But I always thought it was _mama_ that was with us."

The smile on her face faltered at those words. "No, not your mother. Just me."

 _Khaala_ took up her spoon once more and ate the food on her plate, this time with about a third of the excitement as she'd had upon her first taste. The kids asked a few more questions about the topic, but soon realised that it wasn't something she wanted to dwell on for too long. There were still so many things they wanted to know, and considering how many years they'd spent with their aunt, not a single instance such as this one had ever arisen. What had changed, they didn't quite know. But, the days to come would hopefully fill in the blanks.

X

The first 3 days – surprisingly – went off without a hitch. Mia took a day off of work to show _khaala_ the main sights of D.C., and demonstrate her proficiencies as a young debutant. She cooked with a renewed fervour, and took extra time in making sure that everything was set perfectly in the house. _Khaala_ even showed her an old family recipe that _khaalu_ had taught her many years ago, and Mia wondered how so much time had passed without her having known such things about her family.

Much to Mia's delight (and undying confusion), _khaala_ kept the nitpicking to an absolute minimum. It was almost as though she was purposefully keeping her tongue from making backhanded and impatient comments. She divulged things about the Syrian community back home to Mia, bringing her up to date with the latest gossip on people they'd known for years, and how things had changed since she'd left.

Mia took her in to work one day, and she was more than chuffed when her aunt and Nora got along swimmingly. Nora showed her around the kitchen and had her taste a few different dishes, much to _khaala_ 's delight. An unexpected moment arose when _khaala_ told Nora about how she herself had wanted to open up a small café in the heart of Sydney. Though Mia had never even heard of such an endeavour, the way her aunt described it made it obvious that she'd put a great deal of thought into it. It served as just another thing she was learning about the woman she'd grown up with during the visit.

However, the moment where things _really_ reached a whole new level of insane was when Mia and her aunt were sharing a boisterous laugh over dinner at home while Zeyn had ducked out to meet a few friends from the convention. Mia's stomach wouldn't stop hurting as she let out some of the loudest laughs of her life while listening to her aunt explain how her uncle had proposed.

"Not a single part of his clothes didn't have mud on them. _And_ , the idiot decided to wear white that day!" _khaala_ exclaimed with a laugh. "Miriya, by God, he looked like someone out of a movie. And both of our families came out of the house to see him get down on one knee, and…" she shrugged. "You know the rest."

Mia wiped at an errant tear as her giggles died down, her plate of food all but forgotten as her aunt had randomly began narrating that chapter of her life. Mia took a long sip of water as she shook her head, "I can't believe he went to all that trouble."

 _Khaala_ sobered a little and nodded slowly. "He was a different man back then, your uncle. Not as you see him now."

Mia looked at her intently, and considering the days they'd spent together, decided to go ahead and ask the question on her mind. "Is everything…okay, _khaala_? I mean…are you and _khaalu_ …okay?"

Her aunt's eyes took on a wistful look, as though she was about to divulge all the world's secrets to her, right there and then. But something stopped her, and though Mia couldn't figure what it was, she wanted desperately to know. "Don't worry yourself about these things, Miriya." She finished the sentence with a strangely dazed look, as though she'd momentarily lost her control and balance. But before Mia could do much to help, she took in a deep breath and seemed re-centred.

Mia nodded as her aunt settled back down. "No, I…I know. I just…you've seemed a bit…different lately."

 _Khaala_ fiddled with the necklace around her neck, the same one she'd been wearing since the day of her wedding. "What makes you say that?"

 _How the hell do I explain that you've been treating me more like a daughter as opposed to the Syrian home-brand version of Cinderella?_

Mia decided that things were simply going too well for her to mess it all up now. Scrapping the idea entirely, she shook her head quickly and said, "Nothing, no, I'm just…tired. I don't even know what I'm saying—"

"Miriya," _khaala_ said softly. "What do you see different in me?"

Mia swallowed and didn't know how to respond. The truth might be freeing, but it would likely bring heartache to the same woman she'd been laughing with only minutes earlier. And honestly, it just felt so… _good_ to have someone of her age, her _mother's_ age, to talk to in the way they'd been doing. Saying the wrong thing now could mean ruining everything just as it was on the mend, but when her aunt looked at her like she already knew the answer…it wasn't easy to lie through her teeth.

Mia let out a small sigh and began. "You seem…happy." She stuttered, "Not that you didn't seem happy in Sydney, just…I mean, you seem happy _here_. With me and Zeyn."

Her aunt swallowed. "Did you not think I was happy when you lived with me back home?"

Mia admitted unthinkingly, "I don't know if 'happy' is the word I'd use."

"What, then?" _khaala_ asked, genuine curiosity in her words.

Mia paused, and her heart spoke for her. "Disappointed." She elaborated, "I…I think you were disappointed when we were with you."

Her aunt stilled her motions and stared at Mia like she saw right through her. She pursed her lips as though she was trying to keep her emotions from spilling onto her face, but her efforts were futile as she asked incredulously, "You think you disappointed me?"

Mia licked her lips. "I think we were never something you could be proud of." She shook her head, "And…I don't blame you for that. We…we were forced into your lives." She shrugged, "How could you be proud of something you didn't choose?"

For the first time since 2003, Mia saw honest to God tears well in her aunt's eyes, and it wasn't the reaction she'd have expected from the woman sitting in front of her. Mia felt the strangest rush of adrenaline and fear coursing through her body, because this conversation, these words…they were almost 10 years in the making.

"You think we didn't want you?" her aunt asked, her voice on the verge of breaking. "Is that what you've believed all this time?"

Mia croaked from her dry throat. "Didn't you?" She laughed sadly, her own eyes glistening with the pain of a too-real childhood. "Can you blame me?"

Her aunt licked her lips and began telling a side of the story that anyone, let alone Mia, mightn't have expected from a woman such as Liliane. "Your uncle and I could not conceive. Did you know that?" she asked, to which Mia shook her head dumbly. She continued, "We had been trying for 8 years by the time you and your brother came to Sydney. Imagine asking God for offspring for almost a decade, and within a day, he gives you not one, but _two_ children."

Mia's heart was breaking with all the emotion of a story she'd never heard, and frighteningly, everything her aunt was saying couldn't have made more sense.

"When we took you in, we wanted to give you the world, the same world you'd had taken from you. And we did that. For months, we did that." She shook her head and tears rolled down her porcelain cheek, "But your heart rested only with your parents. You didn't speak a word to me for 9 months, and your brother flinched at my touch. I knew, _by God_ , I knew then, that I could live my entire life cherishing you as my own, and you would never care to do the same."

"I would've loved you if you'd let me," said Mia with the saddest of eyes. "You never even gave me the chance." Mia licked a tear from her lips. "But you made us feel like a burden, _khaala._ You made sure to tell us that you'd never even wanted children of your own."

"What was I to say when you didn't want me as your mother?" she asked with pain laced in her words.

"I wanted what you wanted, I still do," Mia blurted.

And there it was. It was as simple as that, it always had been. Liliane was someone who'd been deprived the privilege of her own children, and whether Mia knew it or not, her pain had only increased tenfold upon the inclusion of Mia and Zeyn in her life. For every achievement they attained and every praise of beauty they heard, the credit would never fall to Liliane. It would ever be dedicated to their parents, people who had seen but 10 years of Mia's life. No matter how hard _khaala_ worked at raising her and bringing her up as her own, fate would have it that Miriya would never belong to her.

They both sat in dumbstruck silence for more than a few minutes, never once taking their eyes off the other for fear that the fragile state of things would see them falling apart. Fresh eyes were what they were seeing one another with, almost as though they'd been acquaintances 'til now. Mia didn't know what to do now that their light-hearted conversation had turned into so much more, but she couldn't deny that it was the most necessary thing for them both.

 _Khaala_ was the one to break the silence, and when she spoke, all things fell into place one by one.

"I'm sick, Miriya," she said softly.

Mia's brows furrowed in confusion. "Sick?" She shook her head, "What do you mean, 'sick'? As in, _now_? You don't feel well?"

 _Khaala_ waved her hand slowly and shook her head. "Miriya, no. I am sick." She gestured vaguely to her heart and continued, "I had a stroke 2 days after your brother came here."

Mia's lips parted and she tried but failed to stutter out a sentence. "You…Why—You had a stroke a month ago and you didn't tell us?!" Mia's breathing picked up as she tried to ask 20 questions at once. "Who was with you? How did you get to the hospital? What—"

"Miriya, Miriya, stop," she said calmly. Mia was halfway up from her chair, her mind running wild at the idea that no one had been around to help her when she'd ventured so close to Death. She settled onto the edge of her chair and waited for her aunt to continue.

"I was in the supermarket. I had not been feeling well since your brother came here, but I did not know it would lead to this." She shrugged softly, "I collapsed in an aisle, and praise God, there were many people around. The ambulance came, they took me in, found that I had a blood clot that they needed to remove."

Mia listened with a weakened heart at the thought of no one, not a _single_ person by her aunt's side while she was in that state. No one had been there for her to wake up to, no familiar face to calm her down. Her uncle was overseas, and judging by how the story had gone so far, he didn't know what had happened.

"Anyway, they did what they had to do, they were very good at it. They found a pre-existing heart condition in the scans, made me stay in the hospital for 6 days. And do not worry, I had people with me, Miriya. Fiona and Layla were by my side once I woke up," she said reassuringly.

Mia asked quietly, "Why didn't you tell us?" She shook her head, "What if something had happened? If they couldn't have saved you? If we'd have known, Zeyn and I would've been there in a heartbeat."

"That is why I did not tell you, Miriya. It would have only caused you pain and stress." _Khaala_ continued with the smallest of smiles matching her watery eyes, "And you don't need any more wrinkles."

Mia let out a small breath at her aunt's attempt to divert the issue, not having expected those words, or _anything_ she'd said that night. She leant her arm on the table and soaked in the features of one of her last living family members, as though she'd never really seen her before.

"What made you come here, _khaala_? Why now?" she asked earnestly.

Her aunt leaned in and hesitantly placed a hand atop of Mia's, boring her eyes into her niece's as she uttered, "Because I hoped we could have this, Miriya." She nodded with a promising smile, "My heart is failing, and I do not know how long I will be here for. But I knew that if I was to leave…you and your brother, the only children I'll ever have, are what I wanted to see last."

Well and truly broken by this point, Mia didn't stop the tears as they flowed down her cheek and onto her lap. She saw purity and hope and everything in between when she looked in her aunt's eyes, and neither one of them had known that they'd be sharing moments like this when Liliane had first arrived in America.

They sat with their hands joined for what seemed like forever, and though many questions remained for both of them, they simply took comfort in, what was surely, a new beginning.

X

Two days had passed since Mia and _khaala_ had laid their truths out for each other to see, and neither one of them could have expected the monumental change that would result in their relationship because of it. Zeyn had happened to cut short his meeting with his friends and entered the house at the very moment they were both shedding tears with their hands joined. All had been explained to him, and though he too harboured feelings of hurt and anger, mixed with longing and sorrow, the change in their dynamic couldn't have been more readily accepted by anyone.

The three of them stayed up for most of that night, laughing – and sometimes crying - the hours away with talks of memories from their childhoods and ones only Liliane had remembered. A photo album or two was looked through, each one of them marvelling at how the years had sped by. It was nothing short of a healing process, with Mia and Zeyn talking about their parents more openly to their aunt than ever before, and her reciprocating with stories about them they'd never shared.

All 3 of them went to sleep that night with an unbearable burden lifted from their shoulders, and to each of their delights, their meeting in the morning of the next day only saw their renewed bond strengthening.

Friday night had fallen, and Mia was cooped up in her room, listening to the mumbled television sound streaming in through her door while her aunt and Zeyn binge-watched 'The Bachelor' on cable. For some reason, they were _absolutely hooked_ , and though Mia hadn't ever seen the show, it was an inane desire of hers to keep it that way.

That's why she'd spent the last hour doing every unnecessary thing that came to mind in the confines of her room. After having showered earlier, she blow-dried and straightened her hair for a while, then painted 3 fingernails before realising that beige was _not_ a good look for her. She organised her study table and even dusted her bookshelf, all to avoid doing the _one thing_ she really wanted to do:

Call James Buchanan Barnes over for the evening.

She'd resigned to the idea that that just wasn't possible with her aunt and brother in the next room, but it didn't stop her mind from wandering. He'd known that _khaala_ was going to be in town, so she figured that was why he hadn't made any contact. Though, this whole 'not having a phone' situation needed to change if things kept going between them the way they were.

The fact that he was in the same city and she _still_ couldn't see him was what annoyed her to no end. It was past 10:00pm, and so she couldn't even make up some stupid excuse as to why she was going out to her family. Her brother would know _in an instant,_ and beyond that, her aunt just couldn't find out that she was dating someone. Mia wasn't one for exaggeration, but if _khaala_ even got an inkling that there was a man in her life, the most epic of interrogations would ensue, and Mia just didn't have the skill to lie _that_ expertly.

Her sour mood was only slightly lightened as she passed the vial of perfume he'd sent her, a small smile forming on her lips as she spread some of its scent onto her wrists and neck. She'd never been a big fan of lavender before, but _good God_ if that wasn't one of the most beautiful concoctions in the world.

Mia jumped onto her bed and scrolled boredly through her phone, going through her photos and giggling instantly at the one she'd taken of Bucky standing with a lolly shop's worth of sugary foods in his hands. She looked at the photo for a few moments, and that was exactly when she heard a light knock from somewhere.

At first, she thought it was from her door. She asked, "Yeah?"

No one replied, but before she could go to inspect it further, the knock sounded again, only this time, it was much louder and decidedly closer to her head. Turning her face to the window by her bed, her heart nearly dropped out of its skin at the sight of a shadowy figure hunched down on her fire escape, no real sign of who it was, but she had a bit of an idea.

Leaping off of her bed, Mia stood in front of the windowsill and clasped both hands over her mouth to stifle her laughter. There was Bucky, leaning down to look through her window and looking decidedly crowded on her rather small fire escape.

Without another moment's thought, Mia unlocked her window and slid it open, leaning her arms on its sill and asking in a hurried whisper, "What are you doing out there?"

Bucky shrugged (as much as he could in such a small space) and said, "You told me if I showed up, you'd give me dinner."

Mia's mouth fell open, "…You climbed 17 floors…for _food_?"

He quirked his trademark smirk. "Mostly." Bucky watched as Mia simply stared at him, more than a little dreamily, for the moments that followed. "So…can I…?" he gestured inside.

Mia let out a small laugh, "My aunt and brother are _literally_ in the next room." Bucky wouldn't have minded too much if she wasn't willing to risk having him in the house while her family was around, but apparently, that was the farthest thing on her mind. "Not a _peep_ until I scope out the living room, Barnes," she warned with a hidden smile.

Bucky nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

Putting aside her urge to melt on the spot, Mia pried the window open as much as she could, and watched as her 6'0, 240 pound man-friend squeezed his way through it. When Bucky's shoes landed softly on her carpet, he straightened himself out, while Mia simply observed the life-size gift she'd been delivered on an evening like that one.

His hair was beginning to fade out of the 'newly cut' look, and there weren't very many words in English _or_ Arabic that could describe how much he suited it. He wore a long-sleeved black jumper – in June's unbearable heat – and was clad in snug black pants with matching shoes. Mia didn't realise that she'd been _kinda maybe sorta_ ogling him shamelessly until he began slowly walking his way towards her, a smug look on his face at her reaction.

Mia shook herself senseless the moment he touched a hand to her elbow, and said, "Nope, nuh-uh. None of that until I go see what they're doing." Mia looked around quickly and decided that shoving him in the walk-in wardrobe was her best bet. Taking his hand, she did exactly that, instructing him, "Please try not to sneeze, or cough…" she added softly, "…or breathe…if you can."

Bucky's eyebrows furrowed, and Mia's wasn't quite sure what'd gotten into her that night, but she didn't deny herself the right to lift a hand to his face and simply _smush_ it. She didn't know what she was trying to achieve, but the half-surprised, half-violated look on his face was reward enough.

Shutting the door on him, Mia walked out of the room and tried to seem as nonchalant as possible as her aunt and Zeyn turned her way.

"Miriya, you must join us," said her aunt excitedly in Arabic.

Zeyn nodded with a packet of chips in his hand. "Juan Pablo is about to give out his third rose."

Mia raised a brow as she asked, "Um…Zeyn? What are you eating?"

He showed her the packet. "Red Caviar Potato Chips. They're freaking _beautiful_ , you want to try?"

Mia shook her head quickly, "…I'm good, bro. Thank you."

Mia continued towards the kitchen and pretended to be busy while she watched her brother and aunt. They were obviously more than distracted by the show, and with some luck, they'd stay that way for a while. The volume was also fairly loud, so Mia was sure that some mumbled talking coming from her room wouldn't be heard by them. Grabbing a bag of Crispy M&M's and a bottle of cold water, Mia made a bee-line for her room and shut the door once more, this time, locking it for good measure.

Letting out a sigh of relief, she went to open her wardrobe and found Bucky standing still in the same place with his hands in his pocket and his face strangely illuminated by the bright overhead light. She smiled and tilted her head, "You look kinda Heavenly right now."

He let out a small smile. "So do you."

Mia brushed off the compliment and looked down at her sad knee-length pyjamas and basketball t-shirt. "I look like I woke up under a bridge," she grimaced. Suddenly, she got the idea that she _really_ needed to change if she was going to compete with _all that jazz_ he had going on.

Swivelling him around and out of the wardrobe, Mia stood in it herself and asked, "Would you mind waiting for 2 minutes?"

Bucky nodded and said, "You don't have to change, Mia."

She let out a sigh and shooed him out. "Yeah, yeah. Just…make yourself comfortable. There's some chocolate on the bed!" she said in an excited whisper-scream. Shutting the door on his face for the _second_ time in 3 minutes, Bucky let out a small breath and looked around her room. He'd never been in it before, but everything about it was quintessentially _Mia_.

Her bed was nice and big – not that he was taking note – and so was her study table. She had her Karate belts hung up on the wall, along with two paintings of Arabic calligraphy. They were gorgeous and intricate in their detail, and whilst he couldn't quite make out what the words were, it didn't take an art connoisseur to appreciate them.

Her bedside table was clear, save for the things his eyes were drawn to immediately. There sat the postcard he'd sent, along with the vial of perfume at its side, under the warm glow of the only lamp lighting the room. A smile tugged at his lips and a string pulled at his heart, with the idea that sentiments like this related to _him_ not quite settling in his mind.

He moved to sit on the edge of her bed as he placed his newly-received phone onto the table and took the postcard in his hand, simply staring at the picture that covered its front. The night he'd written that, for the first time in a very, _very_ long time, he'd been afraid of death. The bullet that had pierced him reminded him how much he longed to live out his years by Steve's side, fighting for causes that would cleanse him of his sins. He came to the realisation that there was so much of the world that he hadn't seen, that a shrouded part of him still wanted to discover.

And most blaringly, he wanted nothing more than to come home to find Mia waiting for him, to reunite with his saving grace.

His attention was swayed when he heard the wardrobe door open behind him, and what he beheld as he turned around was nothing short of other-worldly. Well, at least for him.

There stood Mia in a pair of barely-there black shorts, matched with a white, black-collared cropped tee that ended just where her waistband started. She'd taken her hair out of its ponytail – much to Bucky's undoing – and it fell down her back in a single straight line. She wore a nervous smile that looked a little scandalised at the sight of a man sitting on her bed while her family was right outside the door, but their secrecy only added to the excitement.

"I can't tell you how relieved I was when Nat gave me that," pointed Mia to the postcard. She walked towards Bucky, who debated whether to stand in a gentlemanly fashion, or to allow himself the indulgence of scaling his gaze along the curve of her calves to the glimmer in her eye.

Eventually, his decision was made for him when she jumped up onto the bed, sitting on her knees in front of him as his legs dangled off the edge. Bucky cleared his throat and turned his head to the postcard. "Where'd Tasha give it to you?" he asked, a little more subdued than before.

"She turned up to the gym. It was hilarious, Zeyn was with me and he's kinda convinced that it was just an excuse to see him," giggled Mia. "She told me she isn't gonna be around for a while."

"Did she give you anything else?"

Mia nodded. "The beeper-radio thing for emergencies. Apparently an _Ironman_ suit's gonna come and get me within a few minutes if I press it," she said excitedly. Then, another question came to mind. "Have you ever met Ironm—Well, Tony Stark?"

Bucky's face grew slightly serious upon his mention, but he quickly shook his head. "Not yet."

Mia let out a small sound of acknowledgement and was about to grab the M&M's, when a shiny black screen caught her eye. "You got a phone?" she asked excitedly.

Bucky picked it up and handed it to her, smiling inwardly at her wonderment. "Not Stark Tech this time. Some fruit company."

Mia giggled. "Apple?" He nodded, and she opened it up to the home screen, only to find it blessedly empty. "This is the saddest background I've ever seen."

He shrugged and smirked a little. "It's alright."

"It's just black, Bucky," she deadpanned. Shaking her head at his unaffected expression, Mia went into his contacts and looked to see if her number had already been dialled in. Surprisingly, it was saved there, but under a different name than she expected.

"Miriya?" she asked with a smile.

He cleared his throat and replied a little quietly, "…I like your full name." Feeling the need to justify it and not fully thinking before he spoke, he said, "In Russian, it means 'beloved'."

Mia's agape mouth curled into a smile as realisation dawned on Bucky's features.

 _Stop fucking talking, stop fucking talking, stop fucking talking, stop fucking talki—_

More than happy to take him out of his misery, Mia sent a missed call to her phone from his and said informatively, "Did you know in the '80s, some people referred to Northern Vietnamese residents as 'Bucky'."

Not really knowing what to do with that information now that he had it, Bucky simply blinked at her a few times, wondering if there was a follow-up sentence to give the random fact some context.

But, because this was Mia, _of course_ there wasn't.

Slightly lost in her own world, Mia turned to grab the M&M's from behind her. "You ready for something else that'll change your life?"

And so, Mia introduced Bucky to yet _another_ worldwide phenomenon he'd missed out on, watching ecstatically as he took a particular liking to the chocolate. They settled in on her bed and wasted the time away, Mia telling Bucky about all that had happened while he'd been on the mission and the _unexpected_ turn of events that had occurred regarding her aunt. Throughout it all, Bucky listened intently and fell more and more curious as her explanation went on, asking her about her upbringing in Australia and all that it entailed.

Mia happily obliged, detailing funny stories he'd never heard and keeping things blessedly light-hearted. They laughed heartily and nearly forgot that they were supposed to be keeping quiet when the time came for deciding who would get the last M&M.

Mia side-eyed Bucky as she said wearily, "Bucky…"

He held the packet containing the last M&M in his hand. "Mhmm?"

She gave him a bashful look as she sat up on her knees in front of him. "…Can I…?"

Bucky sent her an unimpressed look. "No."

"Hey, c'mon, you had most of 'em. It's…" she shimmied a little closer as the back of his head rested on the headboard. She laid an innocent on his knee and asked, "Please?"

Bucky sighed at her antics and fell victim yet again to the whiskey in her eyes as he handed over the coveted packet. With a small squeal of utter delight, she reached in to grab it and brought it up to her mouth, but no sooner was it snatched from her hand at an imperceptible speed.

Bucky had popped the small chocolate into his mouth before Mia had even realised he'd done so, and with a look of complete shock and heartache on her face, she leapt at him and took a hold of both hands to retrieve what was rightfully hers.

"Hey—You can't—That was my birthright!" she said in outrage as she tried to pull his hands open. Bucky tried half-heartedly to wrestle out of her grip, but when she put both knees over his legs to keep him restrained, he wasn't quite sure that he necessarily _wanted_ to get out. Mia, however, didn't pay much mind to their position, with most of her attention focused on getting the little ball of chocolatey goodness back from him.

Eventually, she leaned back with a huff and crossed her arms childishly, still mostly on his lap and not fully aware of the fact. Bucky was caught between combusting on the spot or breaking out into wild laughter at the sour look on her face.

"I want it," she said matter-of-factly.

He quirked a small smile. "It's gone. I'm sorry." Bucky opened both his hands to show her that he'd already eaten it, and the look of pure betrayal that spread on her face made it almost impossible for him to resist. Unthinkingly, he brought a finger up to her bottom lip and said, "Put that lip away, doll."

Mia froze as she actually registered what Bucky had said, and so did he. It almost felt like it hadn't been him, as though the words had already been on repeat in his memory somewhere and all he had to do was say them.

A small smile spread on Mia's lips as she leant down slowly, bracing her hands on his chest and watching his eyes grow slightly wider as she neared. It felt as though she was about to kiss him, and for all intents and purposes, that's what she wanted to do. But hoping to at least get _some_ satisfaction out of a saddened situation, Mia let her lips reach within a breath of his and watched him lean in, before evading him completely and snatching up the vial from the bedside table instead.

Bucky was momentarily confused at the lack of contact until he opened his eyes to see her smiling haughtily down at him with the bottle of perfume in her hands. Completely disregarding how he stared dumbly at her, Mia simply opened the vial and took out the applicator, still sat comfortably on his outstretched legs and making no effort to move.

Bucky leant his head back on the board behind him a little resignedly, watching on as she asked, "Have I told you how much I love this?" Mia put a little more on her wrists and continued, "Y'know, I never would've picked you for a lavender guy, and I'm kinda dying to know what made you get it."

Bucky swallowed, because the real reason had taken place one night not too long ago, in what had been the best sleep he'd had in decades. He hesitated before admitting, "I don't know if I should say."

Mia's motions stilled. "No, no, you can't do that. Hey—" she pointed a finger at him, "You _stole_ my M &M, this is the least you can do." Bucky simply shut his eyes in the hopes that it'd somehow make the situation disappear, to which Mia said, "I'm still here, Buck." She tugged his arm and pleaded, "C'mon, please?"

With a sigh, Bucky tried to figure out how to tell the story, more than a little afraid that confessing he'd had a dream about her would just be… _insanely_ weird. He cleared his throat and began, "I…I had a dream in Aleppo."

Mia's eyes widened a little as she kept her hands clasped at his chest. Bucky licked his lips and continued, "We were in the middle of this lavender field, like the one I went to as a kid." One side of his lip threatened to quirk as he said, "Perfect sunset, the usual."

Mia laughed a little and waited with bated breath for him to continue.

"You were out there with a basket, pickin' some of 'em for Nora." He shook his head as though he couldn't believe that same woman was in his midst as he spoke. "You looked gorgeous bringin' it over to me." He paused, "Came and sat down like we are right now."

Mia's cheeks drew dangerously pink at the thought of him dreaming such a thing. "Yeah?" she asked shyly.

He nodded, and brought his hands to rest gently at her waist like they'd been in his reverie. He swallowed, "Can't remember too much of what we said. You were laughing, trying to hit me, I think."

Mia's head fell back as she laughed giddily. "Sounds about right."

Bucky watched on with warmth spreading in his stomach, and before he knew it, his thumbs, both flesh and metal, were moving slowly up and down the curve of her waist. Mia's hands stayed firmly on his chest, picking mindlessly at the loose threads of his sweater. He continued, "We were just talking, but I didn't feel like me, not even for a second. Could've told me it was someone else and I'd have believed you more."

Mia shivered a little as his thumb brushed over the sliver of skin between her shirt and shorts, with goosebumps forming as it retreated. He looked as though he was trying to figure out how to word what he wanted to say next, aware of what it meant to him, but unsure of how to put it.

"Last thing I remember was telling you I thought it was a dream…that I was gonna wake up and you'd be gone," he said with a pang of sadness.

Mia swallowed and slid her tongue over her lips. "And what did I say?" she asked softly.

He replied in a voice quieter than hers, "That you were real." He added, "That we were real."

At those words, Mia felt immeasurable butterflies wreak havoc in her stomach, the feeling of happiness inundating her every sense. She brought a hand to the scruff of his jaw and answered assuredly, "Yes, we are."

And not a moment later, their lips met one another as they fell into a rhythm that was no less enthralling each time it played out. Mia's hand fell to his neck and she tried to keep from flinching unwillingly at the cool sensation of his metal hand grazing the side of her rib as she curled her arm around his neck. She smiled into the kiss as Bucky sat up a bit more and clasped his arms tightly around her back, hoisting her further up and putting her hair behind her ear.

Fully aware that the last time he'd been in a situation like this in a woman's bed was in his naïve youth, Bucky felt himself holding back a little and waiting to see where Mia guided them. The fact that he got to touch her at all wasn't a blessing that he overlooked, nor was the idea that her desires fell into the exact same place his were currently harboured. Vaguely aware that they were both supposed to be quiet due to their lack of solitude, Mia and Bucky tried to control the sounds that threatened to spill from their mouths as the initial nerves subsided.

Bucky was the first one to let his lips stray from hers to the side of her cheek and along her jaw. Mia's breathing slowly became more and more ragged as she held him close, eyes fluttering shut as his right hand splayed across her waist under her shirt and her skin grew unimaginably hotter. She clutched at his hair and carded her fingers through his short locks, scratching lightly at the nape of his neck and resting her hand where flesh met metal at his back.

Simply letting their growing momentum encourage her movements, Mia tugged softly at the collar of his sweater in a silent plea to shrug it off. She didn't know if he'd be comfortable taking that step, and truthfully, neither did she. But the foundation of their relationship rested so heavily on being comfortable with one another, and if she could depend on anything, it was that.

Bucky understood what she was hinting at, and though there was a negative voice entrenched in his mind warning him that taking that step would only lead to heartache, he couldn't look at the woman opening up to him and detect any malice in her movements whatsoever. She was so responsive to his touch and willing to forsake a hidden part of herself to him that the idea of laying himself out for judgement in her wake felt nothing but right.

He leaned back onto the headboard and clasped his collar with both hands, whisking his sweater and tank top off in one go and watching with obscured nervousness as Mia let her eyes explore the newly uncovered part of his body.

Though Mia had seen his arm in its entirety before, she'd never seen him without a shred of fabric covering some part of his upper body. The first thing she noticed was that _holy matchstick on a baseball pitch_ , he was beautifully built. The striations across his torso were all too visible for someone who'd just devoured a bag of chocolates and a gallon of water, as was the muscle that rippled along his flesh arm, all the way leading to his neck. Mia took several moments to appreciate the mastery of several decades' worth of hard work, but eventually, the cause of his heartache was where her eyes inevitably fell.

The metal arm was connected as she remembered it to be, but what she hadn't seen was the scars the marred his skin along the point where they attached. The physics of it was something she couldn't quite understand, but just by looking at the skin which had brokenly regenerated over time, she knew no small amount of anguish went into the arm's existence.

Asking with her eyes and the small gesture of her hand to touch him, Bucky nodded once and watched with ever-increasing anxiousness as her palm met the middle point. She grazed her hand softly across the metallic plates of his shoulder, sliding it down the grooves of his bicep and marvelling at the borderline beautiful way it was crafted.

Bucky's heart looked as though it would beat out of his chest if she didn't say something soon. Rejection, disgust, _whatever_ it was, but he couldn't deal with not knowing how she felt about the same piece of machinery that had devastated so many.

Mia's eyes flitted up to his and she didn't quite know what to say to him that would suffice. Strangely, the only thing that came to mind was the same sentence she'd uttered to him at the restaurant, all those moons ago. More than anything, nothing could've felt more right in that moment.

"I'm so sorry for what they did to you," she said earnestly.

Bucky's lips parted slightly and he felt a little frozen as she brought a hand up to his cheek and ran her thumb across it, this time, leaning in to steal a kiss that spoke as to just how far they'd come. She ran her palm along his bare chest and shifted a bit in his lap, rendering him a little speechless if he wasn't already. Slowly and all-too naturally, Mia increased the pace and tried to re-reach the point they'd been at. They moved as though they had infinity and then some, simply taking the time to map out the other person in a way they hadn't had the chance to do with someone in, what seemed like, a lifetime.

Bucky's hand slid down to her hips as Mia clawed gently at his right arm. Though he didn't quite mean to, as his hand smoothed over the soft skin at her lower back, his movement was disrupted by what felt like a coarse scar. With as much brain power as he could conjure, he remembered noticing a parallel set of abrasions running along Mia's back and towards her hip when he'd seen her bathing in the well in Aleppo. He couldn't quite think of how they'd come to be there, but Mia noticed the moment his hand stilled at the scar.

Leaning back just a little so that her heavy-lidded eyes beheld his under the lamplight, Mia laid a hand on his elbow and pushed herself up so she was sitting comfortably. To her knowledge, this was the first time he'd even noticed that portions of skin were horribly marred across her back, but the adrenaline-fuelled high she was on convinced her that he'd be the last person to care very much. Wanting more than anything to let her hidden confidence live out its dominance in that moment, Mia swallowed and sent a bashful smile his way before using both hands to grip the bottom of her shirt. Without giving herself time to question her decision at all, she yanked it up and over her head, leaving him to regard a sight that would drive most men to madness.

She sat clad in a gorgeous bra that was of a design Bucky hadn't seen before (and not just because he'd been missing out on some _hubba-hubba_ action for 7 decades). It was low-cut and black, with 2 thick pieces of cloth wrapped diagonally across her ribs and fastened at her back. It was a gift she'd received from a friend who'd worked at Victoria's Secret designing department in Sydney, and the way it clung to her skin never failed to make her feel unquestionably beautiful.

She watched with growing fondness as Bucky's eyes trailed along the smooth curves of her skin, taking in the gentle curve of her neck and the frailty of her collarbone. She had a few beauty spots speckled above her chest, and the sight of what lay ahead made his throat dry out in an instant. As his gaze flitted down to the bow of her waist, he saw tanned skin melded with slivers of stretch marks around her hipbone. At that point of skin, he saw part of the scar she'd kept hidden on her back, a poorly healed mar that was light purple in colour, and thin in width.

The entire world could have dubbed them as imperfections, but to Bucky Barnes, he couldn't have seen fault in any of the brushstrokes of artistry that her body canvassed.

Letting his fingers trip across her parallel scars, Bucky's gaze moved back up to hers, but her eyes stayed centred on his chest. Her cheeks had a rich splash of colour on them, and there was a little uncertainty in her features. But if there was something he wouldn't let happen, it was her be unsure of anything she'd given him the privilege of seeing.

Bringing his hand up to her chin, he tipped her head up and beckoned her to look at him. Slowly, her widened eyes matched his and she waited for the words that yearned to fall from his lips.

"You're so beautiful, sweetheart."

There wasn't a shred of doubt in his voice or mind when he said it, and she could tell straight away. His hand moved from her chin to the side of her jaw as he stroked his thumb across her bottom lip. Shaking his head unbelievingly, he asked in a whisper, "How the hell did I get you?"

The blushing smile she graced him with was instant, and it wasn't long before they met again for another kiss, blocking out the world as it loomed around them. Caught up in the moment as they were, neither Mia nor Bucky had noticed that the sounds from the television could no longer be heard, or that someone had knocked softly on the door. Carrying on blissfully unaware, it was only when _khaala_ 's booming voice sounded that they broke apart _immediately_ , with Mia all but leaping back and off of Bucky as she pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle her frantic laughter.

"Oh my God, no, no, no," she whispered hurriedly.

Bucky stood up from the bed and looked at her with wide eyes, his body still gloriously shirtless and Mia needing to remind herself that this was _not_ the time to keep staring at it. She waved her hands haphazardly and picked up his sweater from the floor, chucking it to him and looking around for her own shirt as she cleared her throat to reply to her still-screaming aunt. "I'm—Ehm, I'm coming, _khaala_! Just a second," she said breathlessly.

Bucky shrugged the sweater on and pocketed his phone before watching Mia madly look around for her shirt. He should've been helping her, but she was running and her bra wasn't very… _supportive_ …so matters weren't exactly helped.

Mia caught him staring shamelessly and her mouth fell open in half-delight/half-hurried angst. "Buck—Open the window, quick!" she said in a frantic whisper. Bucky quickly looked to the ceiling – strangely – and gathered his wits before heading to the window to make his escape.

"What are you doing, Miriya? I need to get something from in there," said her aunt from the other side of the door.

Mia put on her shirt – _backwards_ – and yelled out, "Sorry _khaala_ , just…exercising!"

Instantly cringing at her own stupidity, Mia ran to the window and saw Bucky step onto the fire escape, but not before she hailed him for one last indulgence. "Bucky!"

He turned in his spot and was yanked forward by the collar of his sweater, only to be left with a kiss that left an impression for the ages. As Mia leaned back and shut the window, she smiled giddily through it and enjoyed the still-stunned reaction on his face. Blowing him a final kiss, she dropped the curtain back down and straightened out her hair, before running a hand over her face and unlocking the door to her room.

Her aunt stood there with her arms crossed and a slightly suspicious look on her face as she glanced over her niece.

"…Is this a new style?" she asked sarcastically as she pointed to Mia's backwards-worn shirt.

Mia looked down at herself and laughed nervously. "I was just…doing some…bedroom yoga." She shrugged nonchalantly, "It's not like anyone was around to see what I was wearing…or anything."

Her aunt squinted a little at her and cleared her throat before pushing past Mia, letting herself into the room. "I need my beige coat, Miriya. Your brother is taking me to the Arboretum tomorrow, and it'd be best if I iron it now."

Before Mia could even answer, _khaala_ had made her way into her walk-in wardrobe, where she'd hung her clothes for the visit, and began sifting through the hangers to find what she was looking for.

"Ehm, yeah, of course," said Mia. "Go for gold."

Her aunt looked for a few moments, but before too long, something other than her coat caught her eye. There hung Bucky's jacket, the same one he'd left behind when he'd gone for the mission, kept among 3 of Mia's dresses. _Khaala_ picked it off of the rack and examined it, before turning to Mia and asking knowingly, "And who does this belong to?"

Mia's eyes widened as she saw what her aunt held in her hands. "Uhm, uh, that's…that's Zeyn's."

 _Apparently,_ Zeyn had been standing at the door and watching their little interaction with a bag of popcorn. "No, it's not," he said smugly.

Mia gave him the cold-shoulder of the century as she turned back around to see her aunt's increasingly curious face.

"Right…I forgot, it's not Zeyn's!" she shook her head. "It's actually…my friend's. Yeah, it's his."

"Your friend?" _khaala_ asked. "What's his name."

"Bu…rger."

 _What. Are. You. Doing. To. Your. Life?_

Mia cleared her throat. "Bergman. Larry Bergman."

Her aunt looked at her plainly, because if there was _one person_ who'd always picked up when Mia was bluffing, it was the lady who'd spent the last 12 years with her. "You want to try again, Miriya?" she asked with a small smile.

Mia readied herself to lie into oblivion, but Zeyn was chomping knowingly on his popcorn behind her, while her aunt stood with crossed arms and closeted excitement at the prospect of her niece having found someone. She sent her a look that almost _dared_ her to lie her way out of the situation, but Mia knew better than to fall victim to her interrogation.

Admitting defeat rather quickly, Mia sighed and said, "His name's Bucky."

"Bucky?" her aunt repeated. "And he is your boyfriend?"

Mia shook her head, "He's a friend, _khaala_. He came over for dinner with some other _friends_ and he left his jacket here. Seriously."

Her aunt eyed her suspiciously. "Miriya…"

Before Mia could further defend herself, Zeyn's voice sounded from behind them. "Whose tank top is that?"

Mia's heart dropped to the floor as she realised that in his haste, Bucky had left his tank top in her room. Rushing out of the wardrobe to pick up the item before anyone else did, Mia said, "It's mine!"

"…You wear _men's_ tank tops…?" asked Zeyn with a raised brow.

Mia leaned in to whisper lowly, "If you keep going, I swear to God, I will end your life—"

"Miriya, you are without a doubt the most horrifying liar I have known in my life," said her aunt in Arabic. "And this is not a bad thing, but you should know better than to keep things from us."

Zeyn crossed his arms and stood next to their aunt. "She's right, Mia. What aren't you telling us?"

 _There are few people in the world whose faces I've wanted to land spinning wheel-kicks on, but Zeyn might just be at the top of that one-man list._

Resigning to her fate and knowing that her brother would spill the beans if she didn't, Mia rubbed her hands together nervously and simply started speaking. "I met him at the gym—"

"Who's 'him'?" asked _khaala_.

"Bucky," Mia clarified. "Ehm, so I met him there, and…we started hanging out." She ignored Zeyn's knowing grin and continued, "We have the same gym bag, so he accidentally put his tank top in mine a few weeks back. And I was just…cleaning out my bag today, so I found it."

Because the Lord had mercy on her, _khaala_ seemed to believe Mia's story whole-heartedly. She prodded a little excitedly, "And…how long have you been seeing him?"

Mia groaned, " _Khaala_ …"

"C'mon Mia, out with it," said Zeyn.

"A few months, okay?" She looked up exasperatingly at the ceiling and shook her head. "I've…we've only been on a few dates."

 _Khaala_ 's face lit up like a Christmas tree, because for some reason, she hadn't thought that Mia would be able to land a guy after Vas. Nodding her head approvingly, she declared, "I wish to meet him."

Zeyn bought a hand to cover his laughter while Mia's eyes widened. " _Khaala_ , I don't think that's—It's a bit too soon—"

"Miriya," she said with finality. "I am not staying here for long. But in the time that I am, I wish to meet this… _Bucky_."


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes: HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIII BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE! Okay, first of all, holy Lord, I hope you guys have been well! It's been about 2 months since I last updated and I'm SO. FREAKING. SORRY. This has been the hardest chapter to write thus far, and it didn't help that there were a boatload of things happening at the same time for me. So again, my bad for being a loser with time management, but at least YAYYY we have a new chapter! Hopefully I'm going to resume my usual updating schedule, so once every fortnight, but MAYBE I'll be able to squeeze in a few extra chapters here and there.**

 **ANNDDD on a side note, I released a one-shot a few weeks back, which was basically something I'd written a while ago in my spare time. It's about Mel and Richy (who are** _ **seriously**_ **such fun to write) and about their little arc. Please check it out in my profile, it's under the title 'A Bit of This and That'. I'm gonna post my one-shots there from now on, and I hope they give you a bit more of an idea about Mia and Bucky's world, including the people that are most important in it. So have a read, lemme know if you love it, hate it, are completely unaffected by it, WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT :'))) Much appreciated and much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 21

Truth be told, there were a great deal of things that Mia wasn't good at. Though she'd tried many times, she couldn't land a cartwheel, nor could she do a back-flip. Even having grown up on the sandy shores of Australia, she wasn't particularly good at surfing and could only swim about a lap of the pool before feeling winded. She couldn't speak French and her mind refused to understand any question that was mathematically inclined; but having said that, all these drawbacks paled in comparison to the one thing Miriya Alfiyan was worst at.

…Waiting.

Whether it was for a job interview or a parcel to arrive, _any form of waiting_ left Mia a nervous wreck at the mercy of her own devices. She'd pace the house 'til her soles were worn in, and would obsessively check the time as she passed a clock. Her senses would kick into overdrive and an appetite was something that always took the backseat when these situations came about.

That's why when her foot nervously tapped the kitchen floor on a beautiful Saturday morning, she knew the scenario awaiting her wasn't going to be easy. Somehow after half an hour of agonisingly orchestrating her first message to Bucky, Mia had found the courage to send a text that hinted at what had happened the night before. _Khaala_ had decided that she wanted to meet him, by _any_ means necessary. Mia had tried to steer her in a different direction again in the morning, but _khaala_ wasn't hearing any of it. And when Liliane Alfiyan set her mind to something…

 _Well._

So, there hadn't been any real point in arguing a different conclusion. Mia had immediately taken to her phone and deleted then rewritten a text that ended up being short and succinct, and exactly what needed to happen.

 _Hey stranger. I wanted to ask just in case you were busy, but can I call you? Kinda urgent. - m_

She'd sent that 43 minutes ago, and after not having received any sort of reply, she was sure that he'd been swallowed by a sinkhole, abducted by Oompa Loompas, or perhaps gotten caught up in a wind-sailing accident. To subdue her nervous energy, Mia had cleaned the already-spotless kitchen, as well as begun a crossword puzzle that had 398 clues to it. She was well into Googling the 12th one when luck managed to strike, and her phone began buzzing on the countertop.

Seeing his name on the phone, she snatched it up immediately and answered with a nervous smile, "Hello?"

"Are you okay?" asked a slightly harried Bucky. "I just got your message, are you alright?"

Mia replied immediately, "Yes! Oh God, yeah, everything's fine. Nothing too pressing."

Bucky let out a small sigh. "I'm sorry it took so long, I was with Steve. And I'm still getting the hang of this… _fruit salad_ shit."

Mia laughed. "It's literally just 'Apple', Buck."

"Still confusing." He seemed to be moving about as he said, "Hold on." Mia waited patiently until his voice resurfaced. "I'm outside now. What, uh…what's goin' on?" he asked unsurely.

Mia cleared her throat. "Well, I…first of all, I, uh…" she smiled giddily. "I had fun…last night."

She could hear Bucky smiling as he replied, "I only came for dinner and I didn't even get that."

Mia feigned insult. "Well, I think you were compensated _quite_ handsomely, don't you?"

He clicked his tongue. "I don't know…"

"Well then, this conversation's run its course. I'll catch you later, Barnes," said Mia with a laugh.

"Alright, alright," he succumbed. "I guess it was _okay_."

Mia squinted, "I'm sorry, what? I can't hear you, I think the line's breaking up."

"Mia—"

"I can't hear—"

"You gonna make me say it?"

Mia began making crackling noises into the phone. "It's all the static, you're gonna have to say that again!"

"I had a good time. Ya happy?" he said with a small grin.

Mia smiled triumphantly. "Ecstatic." She hopped up onto the bench and dangled her feet off the edge as she began talking tentatively. "So, uhm, something might've happened…after you left."

"Hmm?"

Mia cleared her throat. "Okay, I'm just prefacing this by saying that I did _not_ know that she would come into the room, and I also didn't know that she'd see—"

"Mia," he interrupted. "What happened?"

She took in a breath and rambled beautifully. " _Khaala_ came into my room and saw your jacket in my wardrobe, and then just when I'd made up some story, she noticed your tank top on the floor, and I told her that it was mine, but obviously she didn't believe me, and she was onto me the moment I opened my mouth, so instead of lying, I just told her that I'd been seeing you for a few months and now she wants to meet you. Like _really_ wants to meet you. Please don't be mad."

It took Bucky more than a few moments to comprehend exactly what she'd said, but the general gist of it was clear; the woman who held the title of Mia's guardian wanted to meet _him_. The idea of such a thing should've frightened him, or left him completely immobile and distraught at the possibility. But truthfully, he didn't feel an ounce of that. There was nervousness alight in his stomach, sure…but when he tried to verbalise what he felt, it didn't sound too bad.

"Bucky?" she asked quietly.

"I'll do it."

Mia paused. "You… _what_?"

"I'll meet her. And your brother," he said with surety in his voice.

Mia's eyes were widened and her mouth had fallen agape. "You're…you're not…mad? I mean, we kinda…I thought you wouldn't want her to know."

"I didn't know you'd want to tell her. But everything you said last night, about wanting to move forward with her…this might help that. And if that's what'll make her happy…" he paused. "If it'll make _you_ happy…then I'm in."

The phrase 'melted to goo' just wasn't enough to describe what Mia was going through, and she was lucky that her aunt and brother had gone on their trip to the Arboretum while she was smiling like a hysterical bullshark in the middle of her kitchen. "I'm…I don't know what to say." She shook her head, "I can always make a last minute excuse if you don't feel up to it later on."

Bucky let out a small laugh. "Unless you change your mind, I'll be there." He asked, "Any idea where to go?"

Mia played mindlessly with her hair, "Uh, God, I hadn't even thought that far ahead. Uhm, there are a few nice restaurants near Nora's."

"You know your aunt best, we'll go someplace she likes."

Mia laughed, "Sounds like someone's really tryna get into _khaala_ 's good books."

"I haven't exactly got much goin' for me, might as well get the little things right," he half-joked, half-surmised.

Mia heard the slightest hint of insecurity in his voice as he spoke, and nothing about it sat too well with her. "You know you don't have to prove yourself to anyone, Buck. I have a feeling she's gonna love you, but regardless of whether she does or doesn't, it's not gonna change anything for us. Not a single thing."

Bucky stayed silent for a moment. "It's gonna be tough if they both think I'm not what's best for you."

Mia swallowed. "Well, if they do…then it wouldn't be the first time I did something behind their backs."

Bucky let out a small laugh. "That kinda thinking's gonna get you hurt someday, kid."

She nodded to herself. "It'll be worth it, though."

They both enjoyed the silence for a few moments before Mia brought things back on track, reassuring Bucky that everything would turn out alright and that he was more than able to back out at the last minute if he wasn't ready for it. They sorted out a few details, along with the back-story he'd be sticking with for the night, and within 10 minutes, Mia hung up the phone to scurry nervously around the house to release some pent up energy. Suddenly, she had less than 36 hours to prepare for a dinner with her aunt and brother, along with the man currently standing atop of 6the FBI's Most Wanted List.

 _Oh. Joy._

X

Being that _khaala_ had come from Sydney, she'd grown accustomed to cuisines that hailed from all over the world. Located a few streets from her suburban home, she had Japanese and Korean restaurants, along with Lebanese and French cafes. Fish and chips could be found at every corner store in the area, and she never had the chance to miss some authentic Napoli pizza when she was in the mood for it. But one thing about _khaala_ that only those closest to her knew was that all other cuisines paled in comparison when it came to the one she held most beloved:

Moroccan food.

So with that in mind, Mia had decided that a restaurant down on 9th street was the best way to go. It was a gorgeously traditional Marakeshi restaurant, with personable staff and a menu that could have the harshest of critics lining up in the dozens. Mia had gone with Mel and a few friends before, and everything about her previous visits assured her that they'd have a blast.

 _Hopefully…_

She'd booked a reservation for Sunday night and had told _khaala_ and Zeyn as soon as they'd gotten home from their trip out. They were more than a little surprised when they found out that Bucky had so readily agreed to meet them, but to their knowledge, there really wasn't any reason for him to have declined.

Saturday night and Sunday morning sped by fast enough, and before Mia knew it, she was driving her aunt and big brother to the restaurant. She fiddled with her white off-the-shoulder summer dress, which should've been rather conservative, _but_ was anything but when worn by someone with a figure like hers. She'd found it hidden in the back of her closet, and the heat that stifled the night air warranted something as light as she wore.

Mia was well aware that Bucky had mostly seen her in comfortable, ill-fitted clothes due to the occasions on which they'd met. The mission had been filled with loose dresses and dusty trousers, and his inclination to turn up to her house unannounced made it hard for her to be seen by him in anything but pyjamas. That's why on nights like this, where she _knew_ she'd be seeing him and she actually had the chance to dress up, an entirely new level of nervous energy clouded her senses at the thought of his reaction. She'd taken to some eyeliner and mascara, and had her hair pinned in loose waves down the length of her back. She actually really, _really_ liked her little get-up that night, and it only added to her already brimming excitement.

When Mia finally found a parking spot and helped her aunt out of the car, the three of them walked over the restaurant's bustling threshold and sought out someone who could help them.

"Good evening, ma'am. Do you have a reservation tonight?" asked the friendly waiter.

Mia smiled. "Yes, I do. Table of 4, for Mia?"

The man grinned widely and nodded. "Ah, yes. One of your _quatro_ has been awaiting your company for a while. Please, right this way."

Mia walked dumbly and wondered _just_ how long Bucky had been waiting for them. The waiter wove them through several tables of laughing patrons, with charming traditional music backgrounding the scene. There were oil lamps strung up above each of the tables, adding to the theme of the restaurant. He led them towards the far corner, and that's when Mia had a chance to see the man anticipating their arrival.

"I will be back shortly with some menus," said the waiter before he departed.

Mia hadn't really heard what he'd said, because at that moment, her mind was busy formulating 1,387 different ways in which she could ditch her aunt and brother, and simply waste the night away with the suited and booted fella' at their table.

Apparently Bucky was _really_ serious about making a good impression, because long gone was the dirty-green jacket and scuffed jeans he loved so much. He'd stood up from his seat in preparation for his initial greeting with everyone as they walked his way, and so Mia had a chance to take in every last inch of his appearance. He was clad in a casual black blazer with a crisp white shirt underneath, a few buttons undone revealing a sliver of skin. He'd donned a pair of black slacks Mia would _never_ have thought she'd see him in, and some brown formal shoes to finish it off. Truth be told, all he was missing was a pair of suspenders plus a bowtie, and Mia wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between a gentleman of the 40s and her fella'. He'd shaved for the occasion and his hair was slicked back a little, all but hitting the nail into Mia's proverbial (or real?) coffin.

"Someone cleaned up nicely," whispered Zeyn chummily into Mia's ear. Mia wasn't even really paying attention, because Bucky was making his way around the table, the awe in his eyes mirroring hers, though she didn't know it. It was only as he neared her that she realised she had to _meet_ him in an appropriate fashion, and formally introduce her family to him.

"I hope you weren't waiting long," Mia said with a small smile. As he came to a halt in front of her, she leaned up to give him the most innocent of kisses on his cheek, her skin all but erupting when she got a brief hint of his cologne.

Bucky peered into her eyes as he replied, "No, I…just thought I'd come a bit early." Though he wanted to spend his first few minutes just taking in the sight she provided, he knew better than to blow his chance at a good first impression with Mia's aunt. He glanced past Mia's shoulder and sent a charming smile her way.

Mia shook herself and turned to stand between the two of them as she spoke. "Bucky, you know Zeyn."

"How's it goin', man?" asked Zeyn with a warm smile.

The two men shook hands as Bucky replied, "Doing well. Yourself?"

"Moroccan food on a Sunday night? Can't complain," quipped Zeyn. The two shared a brief smile before Mia continued her little introduction.

"And this is my _khaala_ , Liliane."

Liliane had already looked Bucky over a few times with appraising eyes since they'd walked in, and what she'd seen thus far was promising. He looked to be a handsome, well-dressed suitor who had a liking for punctuality. He'd greeted Mia respectfully and had done the same with Zeyn, all things that were green lights in her mind.

But regardless of her inclinations, no one had expected _just_ how charmed she'd be with Mia's new man by the end of the night.

Liliane extended her hand to meet Bucky's as he said warmly, "I'm glad I can finally put a face to a name."

 _Khaala_ 's mouth curled into a kind smile, "And likewise, young man."

 _HAHAHAHHAHAhe'sliterallytwiceyourage,khaalaHAHAHHAHAHAHHA._

Bucky invited, "Please, take a seat."

He let the women choose their spots before pulling Mia's seat back a little to settle her in, while Zeyn did the same for _khaala_. Making sure that they were seated and comfortable, Bucky shot Mia a discreet smile before sitting himself, hoping to God that his confident façade was impermeable.

"Well, I must say this setting is lovely. Have you been here before, Bucky?" asked _khaala_ conversationally.

He shook his head. "I haven't, no. But I hear it's good."

She nodded. "Miriya has certainly raised our hopes."

Mia put her arms up in surrender. "Hey, you can't blame me if it's not up to scratch."

Zeyn added, "That's _exactly_ what we'll do, kid."

Before the siblings had a chance to start their bickering, the waiter came back and placed a menu in front of each person, promising to be back in 5 minutes. For all the nervousness that Bucky felt, he did damn well to show none of it as they exchanged ideas out loud as to what they'd each get. He made it a point to relax his shoulders and loosen his clenched jaw, nuances that would make him seem a little more comfortable in such a foreign situation.

Only a few moments of deliberation were needed before the waiter returned and took each person's choices. _Khaala_ relayed her order in fluent Arabic, making sure that there was extra chilli and no onions on her spicy chicken _tagine_. Following suit, Zeyn ordered the lamb _kofte_ in Arabic, and jokingly asked the waiter how he got any work done when there was _literally_ a belly dancer shaking her _goods_ on the stage near the kitchen. Mia opted for the chicken couscous and told the waiter not to mind her brother in her native tongue. The table was relatively relaxed up until the point where the waiter began taking Bucky's order, after which mouths fell agape left, right and centre.

"Can I please get the chicken _rfissa_?" asked Bucky in _flawless_ Arabic.

The waiter nodded. "With extra chilli?"

Bucky let out a small laugh. "Sure, why not. I think I'll need a soda to wash it down, though."

The waiter smiled and replied, "Any true Arab would know that milk is the only cure for chilli."

Bucky smiled a little sheepishly. "How could I forget?"

The waiter grabbed the menus from the table and payed no mind to the way _khaala_ and Zeyn hadn't moved from their frozen spots for about a minute. "I will be back shortly," he uttered in Arabic as he left.

Mia had been paying such close attention to the way words in her language sounded as they rolled off of his tongue, that she didn't realise her other family members had gone catatonic. When Bucky caught her staring a little unashamedly, she felt her cheeks darken a few shades before shaking herself and trying to regain some semblance of normality.

Mia turned her head to catch Zeyn and _khaala_ 's dumbfounded reactions to Bucky's faultless Arabic. After a moment of silence, _khaala_ asked with no small amount of shock in her voice, "You…speak _Arabiya_?"

Bucky's nodded tentatively, having assumed that Mia had already told her aunt about that little detail. "I…ehm, a little." He shook his head, "I'm not terribly good, though."

As if to test that theory, _khaala_ asked in Arabic, "Which dialect do you speak?"

Bucky replied a little quietly, "Yemeni, mostly."

Her lips curled into a small smile. "So, you're ancestry is Yemeni?"

He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "No, but I've always been…fascinated with the language. I learnt it a few years back, and it's…". He paused and smiled a little shyly, "It's come in handy since then."

Even judging by the confidence with which he spoke the foreign tongue, _khaala_ could tell that he wasn't an amateur by any means. "Am I right in assuming that Miriya has been of some assistance in improving your skills?"

Mia turned to wearily gauge Bucky's reaction, but he simply let his mouth voice the thoughts in his mind. "She's made all the difference."

 _I am on fire, I can literally feel my skin burning through my dress_. _Now they're all looking at me—Jesus, khaala's giving me that "I want you to give me 6 grandchildren right now" look. I'm_ trying, _woman!_

Thankfully, Zeyn was smart enough to cut through the quiet and begin their first solid conversation of the evening. "So are you from DC, or did you get a good scholarship to Georgetown as well?" he asked with his trademark grin.

Mia waited anxiously for his reaction, ready at any moment to call it quits for the night so he didn't have to go through anything he didn't want to. But she was pleasantly surprised when Bucky just shook his head good-naturedly and replied, "No, nothing like that. I grew up in Brooklyn for the most part."

"Ah, from New York, then?" asked Zeyn.

 _Khaala_ added unexpectedly, "I have a cousin in New York."

This was news to both Mia _and_ Zeyn. "…You do?" she asked.

 _Khaala_ nodded. "Arsala. I haven't met her in years, but we've stayed in touch. I think she's situated somewhere in Manhattan." She leaned in and said conspiratorially to Bucky, "I'm just repeating what I've heard, _habibi._ I haven't any idea where Manhattan actually is."

For some reason, just that little quip put Bucky's mind at ease greatly, letting him crack a small grin and feel the tension in his shoulders start to let loose. _Khaala_ only continued for a moment before the waiter returned with their drinks, making small talk about the muggy weather outside and how they couldn't wait for autumn's arrival.

As the waiter left, _khaala_ noted, "But I must say, the weather here is much more pleasant than the desert heat we live through in Australia's summer."

Mia leant her head back and sighed. "Here we go."

"One day it'll be 30 degrees, and then the next day it'll be 45 degrees. Ridiculous!" she said animatedly.

Bucky furrowed his brows. " _30 degrees_? Isn't that…cold?" 

Mia nudged his shoulder softly. "Celsius, Buck. Y'know, the _right_ measurement for temperature," she said with a smug grin.

Bucky nodded in understanding, and to Mia's _unending_ surprise, replied with a joke. "I forgot you guys take a few more years to catch onto new trends down there."

Mia raised her brows in jest. "Oh, so that's how it is?"

Bucky shrugged softly. "M'afraid so."

Zeyn joined in on the age old 'America v Australia' debate. "C'mon, Jesus," he said to Bucky (still insistent on calling him by his 'surname'). "I'm pretty sure America's the only country that uses Fahrenheit, you might as well join the winning team."

 _Khaala_ added, "So do the Bahamas, darling."

Mia squinted. "Why…why do you know that, _khaala_?"

 _Khaala_ 's cheeks fought off an uncontrollable blush as she looked down at her cutlery and cleared her throat. "No reason."

Shaking his mind of whatever _that_ was, Zeyn turned to Bucky and asked, "So, have the States always been home? Ever taken a trip across the pond?"

This was the part where the back-story Mia and Bucky had mapped out would come through. Clearing his throat, he began, "Yeah, I've been around. I was in the army for a while, enlisted when I was pretty young. That got me to a few places all over."

Zeyn nodded, knowing that Bucky couldn't outright say 'I work alongside Captain America' in front of their aunt. "And where'd that take you?"

"Mostly Europe. I spent a lot of my time in Russia."

 _*cough* back when it was the Soviet Union *cough*_

"And a while in Italy."

 _Back when Mussolini still had a full head of hair._

Zeyn nodded, obviously impressed. "That sounds wicked, man. How about our neck of the woods? With Arabic like that, I bet you've snuck into a few wild parties thrown by Saudi princes."

Bucky couldn't help but laugh, not just because Zeyn was _kind of_ the male Xerox copy of his sister, but also because attending functions thrown by rich foreigners wasn't too far from what he'd done in the Middle East. "I went to Yemen briefly, managed to pick up some of the language while I was there. They're, uh…very passionate people," Bucky worded carefully.

At that, both _khaala_ and Zeyn let out genuine laughs. "Oh man, that's a nice way to put it. Yemeni's can't get a sentence across unless they scream it at you. _Passionate_ is just another way to say 'really freaking loud'."

Bucky quirked a grin. "They've got alotta spirit."

"No doubting that."

 _Khaala_ questioned, "And what do you do for work now?"

Mia felt him tense up slightly next to her as he replied, "Mostly contracting for government agencies."

 _Khaala_ nodded. "And what do you specialise in?"

"Data analytics," said Bucky, just as he'd rehearsed. "It's not my first choice, but…someone's gotta do it, I guess."

 _Khaala_ nodded understandingly, and Mia did her best to be discreet as she looked Bucky's way with only concern in mind. Meanwhile, Zeyn shook his head as he seemingly remembered a strange detail about their guest. "So Trinidad, huh?"

Bucky blinked slowly, apparently having forgotten that his genius little sidekick had decided his lineage was from Spain's obscure neighbour. "Pardon?"

"Mia told us that your family's Trinidadian. Which city are you guys from?" asked Zeyn with genuine interest in his eyes.

Unfortunately, Bucky knew the geographical properties of Trinidad about as well as he knew the lyrics to 'Never Gonna Give You Up' by Rick Astley. "Oh. Uh…it's…it's a small town."

Mia raked her brain in a bid to conjure up a name that sounded even half-believable. "I think it was San…Fer…nand…o?"

"Oh, yeah. I've heard of it," said Zeyn confidently.

This time, both Mia and Bucky asked in unison, "You have?"

"There was a documentary on their labour problems, and the guy was talking about how San Fernando's the most populated city in the country."

Making a mental note to compliment his girl on that absolute _fluke_ , Bucky tried to steer the conversation away from rocky territory. "My folks grew up here, so…I don't know all that much about their history."

"And what do your parents do?" asked _khaala_ kindly.

Bucky's frame grew a little rigid as brief flashes of his dad coming home from a day's work at the factory scurried through his mind, with his mother always daintily situated in the background of his memory. He lowered his gaze and cleared his throat. "They've passed away."

 _Khaala_ 's face fell as she reconciled, "I'm so sorry, darling _._ "

Bucky waved a hand. "S'no problem. It was a long time ago."

Being that she was sat closest to him, Mia took the added advantage of the long tablecloth to sneak her hand onto his knee in a comforting gesture. His eyes flitted to hers, and words needn't be said for meanings to be understood.

Before the silence could elapse for too long, the group was blessed with the sight of the waiter making his way towards the table with a large tray in hand. He smiled brightly as he placed each plate in front of the respective patron, and Mia couldn't help but buzz with excitement at the realisation that a guy, that _Bucky,_ would be sharing in a meal with her family.

"Alright, alright, alright," said Zeyn in his best 'McConaughey'. "Come to papa."

 _Khaala_ batted a hand at Zeyn to stop him from digging into the steaming food in front of him. "Perhaps our guest of honour would like to have a turn at saying a prayer before we begin."

Bucky's eyes widened ever so slightly, because he couldn't remember the last time he'd said grace at a dinner table. Mia looked at him reassuringly, letting him know without a single utterance that he didn't have to do anything he didn't want to. It was obviously a practice that _khaala_ stuck to determinedly, even if her niece and nephew didn't. But aside from the nerves aflutter in Bucky's stomach, he saw no harm in saying a few words of thanks with joined hands in his present company.

 _Khaala_ held onto Mia and Zeyn's hands, while they joined with Bucky. He shifted a little in his seat and cleared his throat before shutting his eyes as the others did, hoping that words would fall from his lips that did justice to all that he felt.

 _Come on, Barnes. You remember this. Just like you did when you were young._

"Thank you God, for blessing us with this meal." He wet his lips, trying to catch onto the faint prayer he remembered his mother having recited when he was a wee lad. "We thank you for sharing in your bounties, and delivering us all that is good." A final thought fleeted through his mind, the only thing that had never really left. He continued, a little quieter than before. "I thank you for her…and all those she brings with her. Amen."

He made no effort to open his eyes immediately, so the knowing looks on both _khaala_ 's and Zeyn's faces went unnoticed. But when his gaze drew to the woman at his side, he knew there was nothing short of adoration brimming behind her long lashes. Her full lips had parted like they always did when she was at a loss for words, and Bucky would ever remain proud of how he didn't verbalise the _many_ thoughts waging in his mind in front of her loved ones.

Zeyn clapped a solid hand to Bucky's shoulder – thankfully, his _right_ one – and shot him a lazy grin. "Good man." Bucky nodded and smiled in reply, and no sooner did Zeyn announce, "Alright folks, can't keep the chow awaiting."

And with that, the table of 4 began their meals in unison, each savouring the first few bites before letting out the highest of praises simultaneously. _Khaala_ raved about how well the chef had captured the traditional flavours that are usually overlooked in higher classed restaurants, while Mia and Bucky nodded along.

…And Zeyn might've been tearing up because of just how _fucking_ good his _kofte_ was.

Throughout the meal, _khaala_ made it a point to ensure that Bucky was as comfortable as possible with the questions she asked. She tried to stick to safe topics, like his interests and hobbies. He answered as well as he could, and went out of his way to reciprocate the curiosity. Though it didn't seem forced, the onset of comfortability was only _really_ felt when each person recognised _just_ how many things they had in common.

It began when Zeyn made a point about how he loathed most aspects of modern technology, ranging from the complexities and safety concerns that came with it. All it took was a few words of agreeance from Bucky for the two of them to embark on a wondrous journey exploring their common hatred for the 'iOrange-Sumsing-Shitty-Laptop' era.

Keeping true to the theme, Zeyn and Bucky veered into a solid 15 minutes talking _solely_ about vintage cars, which just so happened to be something Bucky was well-versed in, both prior to and following his time with HYDRA. It'd been one of the first things he'd caught up on as a free citizen of the world, and the fact that he was engaged in conversation with someone who was _just_ as passionate about the topic was a rush in itself. They spoke about makes and models of vehicles that Mia had never even heard of, and though her focus was on Bucky, she didn't miss the unreserved excitement her brother showed at every advance in the conversation.

Soon after, _khaala_ joined in and seemed to be an open book that night, easily relaying stories of her younger years in Syria and her travels as a woman of the modern world. All the while, Bucky listened intently. He asked questions when appropriate, and remained observant when it was warranted. And thankfully, within 45 minutes of them all having sat down for dinner, the dialogue was flowing as though they'd known each other for a lot longer than just that night.

That was probably what stumped Mia most, the _ease_ with which Bucky seemed to fit into their little dynamic. And dare she say, there were more than a few moments when she noticed his accent grow a little more exaggerated, probably like how it'd been when he was a young bachelor loitering the footpaths of Brooklyn in '39. When he fell into a one-on-one with Zeyn, she caught glimpses of someone who was completely immersed in the now, without a trace of the world's burdens on his shoulders.

It seemed easy.

It seemed right.

"—then she came out of the room with her hair—," _khaala_ tried to control her laughter as she recalled one of Mia's darkest, most haunting memories.

" _Khaala,_ no! Please," Mia pleaded as she buried her head in her hands. "God, why?"

Zeyn added with a laugh, "Oh, hell no. This is the good part, c'mon _khaala_."

Bucky revelled in Mia's embarrassment, the crimson in her cheeks evident even through her attempts at hiding it. Without making it obvious to the others, Bucky crept a hand innocently onto her thigh and squeezed lightly, a silent show of solidarity in this time of great hardship. She brought down her hands from her face and looked at him, melting a little when he quirked a small smile and tapped her clothed skin once more. But alas, even the closest of allies can wield back-stabbing knives.

Bucky turned his gaze to her aunt and pleaded in perfect Arabic, "Please continue, _khaala_."

Mia's eyes widened and she shook her thigh of his gloved hand, evident betrayal on her face. "How could you?"

"Oh, snap! _Jesus take the wheel_ ," sung Zeyn. "You're outnumbered, kid."

Mia glared daggers at her big brother while Bucky contributed, "It's a good story so far."

" _Khalas,_ that's it," determined _khaala_ with a smug grin. "I must respect our guest's wishes, Miriya."

Mia shook her head and declared, "I'm gonna egg _all_ of your houses."

"Yes, yes, do what you must," hushed _khaala_. " _Ayna kuunt_ (Where was I?). Ah, yes! So I called her from her room, thinking that she had only trimmed the split ends. And when she emerged," _khaala_ slapped a hand on her forehead exaggeratedly. "She had cut her hair to her neck, _unevenly,_ and coloured all of it bright orange!"

Mia decided against watching Bucky's reaction, and instead wallowed in her pity by covering her eyes. She tried to ignore the easy laugh that spilled from his lips, but couldn't help but smile along at the misadventures she'd experienced at the ripe age of 14.

"I hate all of you," she said, still shrouded behind her hands.

"If Lord Farquaad ever had a ginger brother, it'd be Mia," said Zeyn with tears threatening to spill from his eyes at the clear memory.

Bucky didn't know which Arab Royal 'Lord Farquaad' was, but the idea of Mia having ever looked any less beautiful than she was now proved laughable on its own. While Zeyn and _khaala_ went on with a different conversation, Bucky leaned in and gave Mia a small nudge, followed by, "C'mon, it's not that bad."

Mia looked up at him, evidently unimpressed. "I blame you for this."

"For colouring your hair orange?" he asked smugly.

She pursed her lips. " _No_. For double-crossing me. You sided with them!" Mia clicked her tongue. "No point being in _khaala_ 's good books if you aren't in mine."

Bucky couldn't help but marvel at the mischief in her eyes, paired with the soft glow she seemed to have as a result of how wonderfully the night was unfolding. Without making things too obvious, he leaned in and murmured, "I think I can manage my way back in there."

Her eyes widened ever so slightly and the presence of her family all but fell into the background as she relied on her wit to come through when it mattered. "Sounds like wishful thinking to me."

Without missing a beat, he replied, "Wishful thinking's what's gotten us here, doll."

It wasn't a moment she was proud of, but the whimper that left her lips at the sound of him addressing her by anything aside from 'Mia' was hardly something she could've controlled. But that didn't stop the other two patrons at the table from whipping their heads in her direction, evident shock on their faces.

Mia violently coughed and cleared her throat to salvage some dignity. "Man, that was spicy."

"…You weren't eating anything," pointed out Zeyn.

Either because she sympathised with her niece greatly or because she actually really had to go, _khaala_ chimed in, "Miriya, accompany me to the washroom, please."

Mia shot up and out of her seat, not thinking twice before leaving Bucky alone with her big brother for the first time since they'd met. Things could go either way, and Lord knew that it'd been a while since Bucky's last 'brother talk' by anyone. But this is what he'd wanted, what he'd hoped would result from meeting Mia's family. And more than ever, he was ready.

…Or, so he thought.

"I've got no idea what that kid's smokin', but I hope to God she's not that weird sober," said Zeyn with a laugh. Bucky smiled softly and fiddled with his unused fork, his gloved hand in his lap and away from sight. Zeyn observed him a moment before beginning to say what he'd hoped to say for a long, long time.

"I know," said Zeyn.

Bucky glanced up slowly at him, but didn't say a word. Zeyn continued, "I didn't wanna do this in front of her, because she'd find a way to stop me. And the last thing I want is to put you in a tough spot, but this can't happen any other way."

It dawned on Bucky that maybe _khaala_ had deliberately taken Mia to the washroom for a reason, and Zeyn's body language only reaffirmed that they wouldn't be returning any time soon.

"I gotta admit, Jesus, I had some serious doubts about you." Strangely, Zeyn didn't speak with malice in his voice at all; rather, it was as though he were relaying a series of events to an onlooker, a third party. He was serious, but not scolding, and to a degree, Bucky could understand where it was coming from. "I tried to tell Mia more than once that I thought you were bad news, but she never even let me get a full sentence across. So, I cut her a deal. Told her I'd meet you once, give you a chance, a _real_ chance. And after that," he trailed off, not needing to finish his words.

Though it may have been warranted, Bucky didn't feel like he'd been ambushed or sabotaged by Mia's aunt and brother. While the tension in the air was palpable, he couldn't help but be a little pleased that he had to rise to a challenge. So far, it'd just been him and his girl. But gaining the favour of her family was something he _knew_ needed to be done, one way or another.

"Thank you for not stressing out my aunt," said Zeyn sincerely. "She doesn't know about the whole 'Cap/Batman' side of your life, and it's better that way. Listen, man," pleaded Zeyn. "I've had a great time tonight, and you seem like a stand up guy. But right now…you've gotta be straight with me. No bullshit. Because it's her. It's Mia. And I can't leave her with someone I can't trust."

 _That_ , Bucky understood wholeheartedly. In reality, Zeyn had already known that there was something odd about Bucky. It didn't take an astrophysicist to gather that he was different, or that there may be an unorthodox reason as to why he was the way he was. Steve had told Bucky not too long ago that there would come a day when Mia's brother would be clued into their lives, and as far as he was concerned, that day had arrived. Nodding once, Bucky prepared himself for the barrage of questions he'd be hit with, and the answers he'd undoubtedly have to give.

Zeyn took in a deep breath and asked plainly, "What's your real name?"

Straight-faced and well aware of what he was doing, Bucky replied, "Bucky Barnes."

Unfamiliar with American history and the significance of that name, Zeyn asked, "If I ran a search on that name, would you come up?"

"To an extent," he said.

Zeyn paused and asked wearily. "How do you know the Captain?"

He knew exactly what his answer to that question would mean for them, but without thinking twice, he replied lowly, "His father worked in my uncle's factory."

Connecting the dots and feeling a buried conspiracy theory unfurling in his mind, Zeyn catered the questions to his intuition. "Where did you serve?"

"Germany, Austria, Italy," he said, _feeling_ the burden of falsehood leaving his shoulders.

Zeyn swallowed. "When?"

 _This is it. If you tell him, then there's no going back, Barnes. Remember that._

"In a simpler time."

It needn't be said any clearer than that for Zeyn to understand exactly what he was playing at. Sure, it would explain some of the strangeness that he'd noticed in Bucky, the 'other-timeliness' about him. But could it really be that Captain America wasn't the only person who'd managed to cheat nature's course? Was there a chance that another person, someone he'd _known_ , was able to do the same thing and recommence his youth in a different era.

Zeyn swallowed. "How?"

Bucky hesitated for a moment before shaking his head once. "I can't, not here."

Zeyn nodded. "Did they…did they find you in 2010 as well? On the ice with him?"

Solemnity grew over his features as he replied, "My past isn't like his. It…" he cleared his throat. "It's not the same."

Understanding better than to egg him on, Zeyn asked instead, "Does she know? I mean, who you are?"

Bucky nodded. "Better than most." He paused, "She didn't tell you because I asked her not to. That's on me, not her."

Leaning in slightly, because he didn't necessarily want other patrons overhearing what he was about to say, Zeyn's armoured eyes swam with all the protectiveness that big brothers spend their lives hiding away, stored for this very moment. "Is being with you going to put her in danger? Of any kind?"

"I'm never gonna let anything happen to her." Bucky matched his intensity and sincerity when he said, "I swear by that."

Inwardly, Zeyn believed him. It was something about the way his brows furrowed and his eyes grew in desperation at the mere mention of her endangerment. He'd seen that look on a man before, a man that had died protecting Miriya, all those years ago amidst the rubble of Aleppo's City Hall.

"Do you have a sister?" asked Zeyn.

Bucky swallowed. "I did."

Zeyn nodded slowly. "Then I don't need to tell you how it feels to watch her look for protection from someone that's not me." He wet his lips. "Look Jesus, I don't know what happened to you. But if you break her heart," he promised, "I swear to God, it won't matter what you're made of. I'll kill you."

Bucky knew there wasn't any real reply he could give, only an indication of understanding. With an almost unperceivable nod, he felt his heart cease once more as Zeyn spoke a final time.

"She's all I have, man. And to a degree…I think she might be the same for you." He laughed humourlessly. "And I sure as hell hope I don't end up regretting this, but…you seem to make her happy." The two kept their gazes locked as he continued. "Don't fuck it up."

Not too long ago, there had been a time where Bucky was sure no amount of pleading or begging to God would have allowed him a future with someone. He'd told himself that his life after HYDRA would consist only of an eternal path to redemption, without respite. Never once had he considered that somewhere amidst the dizzying ache in his heart there would be a light, the same one that people promised lay awaiting at the end of darkened tunnels. The idea of Mia, of her very presence in his life was foreign enough. And now, to hear words of approval, no matter how harsh they may have been, from her closest kin…entire tales had been written to try and capture that feeling, but none of them could have sufficed.

At the sight of Zeyn offering a peace-making smile, Bucky replied in kind and marvelled at the lightened burden from his conscience. He watched as Zeyn downed the ice-cold shake near his plate before a thought dawned on him. His eyes widened as he asked seriously, "Wait, does…does that mean that you're 100 too?"

Bucky cracked a small grin. "A few years off."

Zeyn shook his head with gobsmacked features. "Fucking hell, Jesus. What…" he leaned in closer. "How long have you known Cap for?"

"Since 1926," he replied.

"Get the _fuck_ outta here," said Zeyn as he shook his head. "You've gotta be kidding me—"

"Who's gotta be kidding you?" asked Mia as her and _khaala_ came quietly to rejoin the table. She glided a swift hand along Bucky's shoulder as she sat down, momentarily taking note of the changed look on his face. He sent a small smile her way, and she wondered what the hell the two of them had spent the last 5 minutes talking about.

Thinking on his feet, Zeyn said, "Your boyfriend here thinks that 'Shrek 3' was better than 'Shrek 2'."

It took a while for Mia to actually compute what he was saying, because she was stuck on the fact that no one had ever called Bucky her 'boyfriend' before. Her brows furrowed. "…Does he, now?"

Bucky grew conscious of 3 pairs of eyes staring at him. "Ehm, yeah. It…it was a…cinematic masterpiece."

 _Khaala_ looked on with only confusion. "Darling, even _I_ did not like the third one."

Zeyn added, "Nothing beats 'human Shrek' in the second one. _Nothing_."

At a loss for words, because nothing about that sentence made any sense to Bucky's uneducated mind, he succumbed. "I…I guess you're right."

Thankfully, the waiter they had that evening seemed to have the best timing of any single person known to man, showing up at the very moment humanity needed him most. "May I ask if the meal was up to standard?"

Everyone began their praises in unison, and the waiter nodded along with much amusement. "I'm very glad to hear it, and I will be sure to let the chefs know. If you are all finished, may I take your plates?"

All 4 of them pitched in and handed their plates to him helpfully. "Ah, thank you very much. Well then, I hope you all have had a wonderful night. We look forward to seeing you again soon."

Without thinking twice, everyone got up from their seats and fixed their clothes momentarily, before meandering their way through the maze of tables once more. It wasn't long before they were at the front of the restaurant, and _khaala_ and Zeyn told the other two to wait outside for them while they tended to the bill. Not wasting a moment, Mia and Bucky walked through the front doors and into the summery air, before stopping at the bricked alley adjacent to the restaurant.

It was a nice change from the loud music and chatter they'd just sat in for the past while, and the silenced murmur of the city was exactly the backdrop Mia and Bucky needed for their first moment alone together that night.

Wearing a content smirk, Mia stepped so that Bucky's back was flush against the alley wall, leaning in close to tell him, "God, you were so amazing tonight."

A small smile was all the warning Bucky got before Mia let loose her inhibitions and kissed him like she'd wanted to since the evening had begun. Her hands tugged on the lapels of his blazer as she melted into him, any and all tension having left her conscience the minute they'd touched.

They'd been together in this way for a while, but somehow, the charm of a shared kiss never quite wore off. It was safe and homely, and everything they needed to reassure one another that they'd be alright. Bucky's hands left their pockets to curl at her hips, keeping her steady as their lips moved languidly against one another.

Mia was the first to draw away slightly, only to look bashfully through her lashes and say, "I've wanted to do that all night."

Bucky let a lazy grin spread across his lips before leaning down and capturing hers once more, wanting to make the most of these little moments while they were still under a cloud of privacy. Mia's hand moved from his blazer towards the nape of his neck, and she carded her fingers through his hair like she knew he loved while he guided her closer still. His flesh hand ventured downwards to where he felt the band of her briefs through her light dress, immediately sending a series of giggles from her lips to his. "Hey, hey, hey. Not here, they could show up any minute," she said through infectious laughter.

Coming down from her tippy-toes all too soon, she leant her forehead on his chest and shook it softly. "Why on Earth were you and Zeyn talking about Shrek?"

He shook his head. "Someone needs to tell me who the fuck 'Shrek' is, and why he's so damn important to everybody."

Mia's eyes fell shut and her nose crinkled as she laughed elatedly. "There is literally no way for me to answer that. Wait, so Shrek was just a topic change, then? What were you two girls gossiping about before that?"

In his mind, Bucky thought about how the smug look on her face was about to be exchanged for utter shock. "He knows."

Bucky's prediction was correct.

"Wh… _What_? Knows what? _What_?!" She fumbled through words before asking, "He knows… _who you are_?"

He nodded. "Told him my name, and how I know Steve. Didn't get to explain it much, but it was enough."

Mia's mouth was agape for a few _long_ moments before she asked, "What—How did he react? Was he upset? Shocked?"

"To be fair, he took it pretty good. He's smart, I think he knew something was up before we started talking."

"What else did he ask you?" she asked nervously.

He swallowed. "He had to make sure you weren't in danger because of me." He paused. "Told me he'd kill me if I broke your heart."

She shut her eyes and fell a little red with embarrassment. "God, I'm so sorry. I…I didn't know he'd say all that stuff to you, or I wouldn't have left."

"Hey," he tugged her hand. "S'nothing to be sorry for. He did what he had to do. I respect that." Mia brought her eyes to meet his. "I would've done the same."

Guessing that he might've been talking about Rebecca, Mia accepted his comfort and dropped her hand to let their fingers twine. Her palm smoothed over the glove's brown leather as the next logical thought in her mind fell from her lips. "Did you tell him about Syria?"

He shook his head. "That's not for me to tell, sweetheart."

She shivered, still not used to the ease with which he made her feel the way he did. She let out a breath. "So…he was…okay?"

"I think he's okay as he can be," said Bucky. "But I'm…I'm glad we did this, y'know."

Mia smiled with relief, still in front of him with his back pressed up against the brick wall. "I think _khaala_ 's in love with you."

He chuckled. "I like her, too. She has good stories."

Mia shook her head. "I hadn't heard most of them. I feel like I'm getting to know her from the beginning, just like you are."

"Maybe that's how it was always meant to be," offered Bucky.

Mia liked that thought and enjoyed the sense it made in her nervous mind. "Maybe."

Before she could get another word out, Bucky heaved off of the wall and glazed his eyes from the glimmer in her eyes to the tip of her heeled toe. "Look at you," he marvelled. "You're a vision."

Mia scoffed. "Don't even get me started. You wore a _suit_. I mean," she fiddled with the collar of his white shirt. "I could get used to this."

He smiled. "I kinda like how we were on Friday night better."

Mia giggled. "You mean half-naked and bloated from all that chocolate we ate?"

Bucky smiled as he touched a lock of her hair. "Sounds like Heaven."

Extending that thought would've been ideal in both of their minds, but the sound of the restaurant door opening and familiar voices following pulled them from their little escape. Straightening their clothes and hair, Mia led them out of the alley and towards her family, only to see _khaala_ a little shocked.

"You already paid for the food," she said to Bucky. "When did you do this?"

Zeyn shook his head. "You should know better than to mess with an Arab lady when it comes to paying for dinner, Jesus."

Mia turned to him. "You paid for dinner?" She winced, " _Oh_ , that's not good."

Not fully accustomed to Arab traditions, Bucky was unaware of the usual half-hour battle that ensues whenever time comes to paying for a meal. Culture taught them to pay for collective meals whenever possible, in a bid to spread love and prosperity among people and family. There was never any 'each person pays for their own meal' business, and they prided themselves on that. But the fact that Bucky had arrived early to the restaurant _just_ so he could pay in advance was something _khaala_ was both unendingly impressed and bewildered at.

"You must let me repay you the money, _habibi_ ," she warned.

Bucky shook his head. "No, please—"

"But you were our guest," she reasoned. "This is not right, I will not accept it."

"But," he tried to intercede.

"No, darling, no."

Deciding to take a different approach, Bucky switched to Arabic and said, "Please, _khaala._ Tonight was wonderful, and this is just a small way of showing my thanks."

Still not used to his ability to speak her language, _khaala_ pursed her lips and shook her head disapprovingly before giving in. "Next time, this should not happen."

Bucky cracked a smile." _Fahum_ (Understood)," he said.

After a few more words exchanged, it was time for Mia, Zeyn and _khaala_ to part ways with their guest of the evening. _Khaala_ lay a customary kiss-on-either-cheek combo on Bucky, before telling him how much she'd enjoyed the night. She urged him not to be a stranger and to visit when he could, and that alone was enough to deem the night a success, meaning that he'd at least woven his way into her good graces.

Surprisingly, Zeyn didn't hesitate to provide Bucky with his customary level of uber-affection by holding him in a 'bro-clap-hug'. Not used to that level of endearment from someone he didn't know too well, it took a moment for Bucky to relax and reply in kind. As Zeyn went to thank Bucky one last time, he clapped a hand on his _left_ shoulder and immediately grew puzzled at the obvious piece of metal he hit instead. His eyes widened fractionally, but one look at Mia and Bucky's faces told him that now was neither the time nor the place to ask questions of that regard.

"Ehm, well, we'll bring the car around while you say goodnight to your boyfriend," chided Zeyn.

 _There's that_ freakin' _word again._

They bid their final farewells, and left the two of them standing on the pavement. Bucky broke the silence with a quirked brow. "Boyfriend, huh?"

Mia laughed nervously. "Don't listen to him, he's just…being stupid." She didn't know whether labelling their relationship was something too drastic for him, and ruining a beautiful night by pressuring him was _not_ on her agenda.

Bucky put his hands in his pocket and looked at his feet reservedly. "You're okay with me being that?"

Mia was stumped. "I'm…I'm okay with whatever you're okay with." She put a piece of hair behind her ear. "But I don't…wanna force you into something you don't want. Some people don't want to define what they have with someone else, and even though I'm not that way, I completely respect it."

Within a moment, he dispelled all her nagging thoughts. "You're my girl, Mia." He shrugged softly. "That's the way I want it. I mean…if you'll have me."

…

…

 _IS THAT EVEN A QUESTION?!_

"Is that even a question?" she unthinkingly said out loud. "I mean, I—Yeah, that's," she swallowed and couldn't look past the charmed look in his eye. "I'm yours, Buck."

Better writers could have spoken of the way the city lit up for the two of them where they stood, and how the crescent moon loomed a little closer to the Earth that night. They might have written sonnets about how the trees rustled in their background and the way the melodies of the footpath sang in harmony when Bucky and Mia walked upon it.

But simply put, the thing which moved them to the core was the realisation that they were twined with another person. It was no longer a matter of 'I' and 'me'. They were a unit, two parts of a whole. And even though this was only the beginning for them, it didn't make it any less real.

Mia's arms coiled around his neck as she kissed him once more, bending her leg at the knee behind her just like she'd seen every love-struck teen in movies do. Bucky's lips parted as they let instinct guide them, not particularly caring that they were on the sidewalk of a very busy road and in the midst of dozens of pedestrians. They decided that none of that mattered, because she was his, and he was hers. His hands fell back to her hips like they'd always belonged there, and her usual fear for social judgement was nowhere to be seen. Other people's opinions didn't matter. This was about them. This had nothing to do with—

"Y'know Google Earth's watching all of this!" shouted Zeyn from their car as it drove up to them.

Mia jumped away from Bucky within a split-second, _feeling_ a blush radiate through her body at the fact that she'd let herself get so carried away. " _God_ , okay. Okay, I'm coming!" she told a disapproving Zeyn and a slightly smug _khaala_. She turned to Bucky, "I'll talk to you soon, yeah?"

He nodded, a little out of breath. "Yeah."

She jogged to the car and opened the door, but not before sending a show-stopping smile over her shoulder to him. A wink and a little laugh was all she left him with, but _boy oh boy_ , he'd be damned if that wasn't enough to last him a lifetime.

X

 _You have one (1) new text message from Unknown Number._

 _Hey, it's me. I'm sending this through a burner. I dialled your number to call but some girl named Pita Parker picked up instead. Do you know her? Anyway, I'll just ask through this instead. It's Rogers' birthday on Friday and the Bird's planning something at the house. A few new faces are coming. Please be there. Bring Mel and your brother. I'll tell you more later. Yours, B._

There were a great deal of things in that message that robbed Mia of her ability to speak, ranging from the fact that Steve Rogers was born on July 4th ( _really?_ ), to her, Mel and Zeyn being invited to a _kind of_ Avengers birthday party. Mia stood with her phone in her hands for a solid 3 minutes, rereading the text into oblivion.

 _Yours, B._

Wow, she wasn't about to get used to that any time soon.

Mia groaned out loud when she realised that she couldn't call Mel straight away with the good news, being that she was currently on a plane that wouldn't land in DC for another 3 hours. Tossing her phone on the kitchen bench, she all but ran to the guestroom her brother was staying in and flung it open, not caring that it was past 1 in the am.

"Zeyn, wake up!" she shouted. "Guess. What?"

X


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes: HEEEEEYYYYYAAAAAAAAA MY LOVES! Yasssss, finished another chapter, and boiiiii I'm excited for this one. I wanted to say the BIGGGGEST thank youuuuuu to RoxanneRay, because GURLLLL you've destroyed me. Your review had me on a high for the whole day, and I'm just sooo incredibly happy that this little story brings some happiness to you. You're a GEM, hun xxxxxxxxxx**

 **ANNNNDDDDD to TeenWolf136, thank you sososoosososos much for taking the time out to review, you killlllled me! Everything you said was so lovely, and I appreciate it to NO ENDDD, it makes me wanna write even more than you know :')) ANDDD I know exactly what you mean about having a thing for speech marks! Here in Australia, our punctuation system is a little different and we put the full-stops outside of the quotation marks, and I HATE IT! It makes absolutely no sense, so I switched it up halfway and I plan on going back and editing the initial chapters as well :DDDD Again, thanks SO MUCH hun, this means the world xxxxxxx**

 **ANDDDDD to everyone and anyone that's reviewed and followed the story, or even ghost-reads it, y'all are the best, mannnnnnn. Thank you so much for staying with the chapters and the characters, y'all are INCREDIBLY patient and deserve all the ripest fruit and chocolatiest chocolate in town. I. LOVE. YOUR. SOULS.**

 **It's 1:23am here, and I'm rambling. What am I doing? Stop reading this god-awful note, and ENJOYYYYYYYY :'DDDDDDDD**

Chapter 22

"So…the guy in a mask who fought Cap on the bridge…?"

Mia nodded. "It was him."

"The unknown dude that put Cap in the hospital for a week?" asked Zeyn, not quite believing the story his little sister had just spent the last half an hour sharing with him.

"I know it's hard to believe, but…" Mia trailed off. "It's true."

Zeyn shook his head. "It's not just 'hard to believe', Mia. I was…I was just eating _dinner_ with that guy 2 days ago. How is that even possible?" His eyes widened, " _That's_ why he wears a glove on his left hand."

Mia nodded as she reclined on their comfy sofa in the living room. "You never asked about it, so I thought you hadn't noticed he wore it."

"Of course I noticed, I just didn't wanna be rude, y'know. I kinda gathered that he wasn't doing it for style points in the middle of summer, figured it must've been a skin condition or something like that." He let out a long breath. "Never would've guessed it's because he didn't have an entire arm."

Mia's lips curled into a small smile. "You're taking all of this a lot better than I thought you would."

Zeyn laughed humourlessly. "After the shit your boy's been through over the last 75 years, I think he deserves all the slack we can cut him." He shook his head. "Why didn't you tell me all of this before? It's not like I would've been upset with you if you had."

Mia sighed, getting exactly what he meant. "I know, but…I just didn't want you to worry. And you were so far away, so explaining something like this wouldn't have been easy."

"But I would've understood, Mia. You know that," he said, a little bit of disappointment in his eyes. "I can't… _fuck_ , I can't imagine what it would've been like for him. Surviving a fall like that and then waking up to a bunch of Nazis in lab coats. And then _75 fucking years_ of not knowing who you are." He stared blankly at the carpet beneath his feet while Mia watched on, a tightness roping her ribs at the thought of what Bucky had survived. Zeyn asked, "Does he…I mean, have all of his memories…y'know…come back?"

Mia shook her head. "Not all of them. Not _most_ of them, actually. He says they come from triggers a lot of the time. He'll see something or hear something vaguely familiar, and then his brain just sort of…takes it from there, I guess."

"Have you ever been around when he's remembered something?" Zeyn asked curiously.

She nodded. "A few times. Actually, when we were in Turk—"

 _Shut the fuck up, shut the fuck up, MAYDAY, en-route to collision!_

"Ehm, we were in Turkelle one time, it's this suburb near Maryland, and he sort of just…spaced out when I started talking about big brothers. I think he remembered something about Rebecca, because he got this kinda strained look on his face, and didn't talk for a good 15 minutes. I didn't ask him what had happened, but…" she shrugged sadly. "I didn't have to."

Zeyn swallowed, with even the very _thought_ of forgetting Mia and all that she was from his life sending a new wave of goosebumps across his arms. There were crevices of Hell that would've been easier to conquer than the reality that every trace of his lifeline, his baby sister, would be robbed from his memory. He felt pain and an all too-real empathy for Bucky, which was something new in itself.

A few moments of silence later, a thought occurred to him. "How come no one else knows that he's the…what's the name they gave him?"

Mia wet her lips. "The Winter Soldier?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Why haven't other people been able to piece that together? There was a bit of footage of him from the bridge, I think."

"In most of the news footage, he had his mask on. There were a few cam-corded videos on YouTube of his face, but even then, I don't think anybody's first guess would be Captain America's dead best friend of 75 years."

Zeyn nodded. "Do the Avengers know? I mean, that it was him?"

Mia was about to answer, but when she took a moment to think it through, she had absolutely no idea. Her interactions with the Avengers had never stemmed beyond Nat and Steve, but it would make sense that the rest of the team would be privy to that kind of information. "I mean, I guess so. I don't see why they'd keep it from them. And, to be honest, I don't think he could hide it from them if he met them, y'know."

"Have you seen it? The arm?" asked Zeyn.

Mia nodded. "Yeah, a few times." She tried to verbalise all that it was into a few words, but it proved more difficult than expected. "I know it represents something horrific, I do. But, weirdly, it's almost…a little beautiful. Everything about it is _so_ detailed and intricate, it's like nothing I've ever seen."

"Can he feel with it?" asked Zeyn unthinkingly.

Mia didn't really know how to answer without blushing up a storm, her mind automatically taking her to the night they'd shared hidden in her room with her family just beyond the door. He'd been so receptive to her, and if he hadn't had the capacity to _actually_ register things with his left hand…well, he sure hadn't let her know about it.

"I think…uhm, well—I'm not sure, but…I don't—"

"Hey, okay, no, nope, stop talking, we aren't going down that road. Just. _No_ ," said Zeyn in a frenzy.

Mia's brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"You were just getting _major_ 'hungry eyes', and I don't wanna be around for that. Nope."

She rolled her eyes. "Shut _up_ , I do _not_ get 'hungry eyes'—Who even says that? What are you, 90 years old?"

He looked at her blankly. "You need to stop making old people jokes, seriously. You wanna procreate with a pensioner. You have no say."

She rubbed hand over her eyes. "Oh my God."

"That's right," Zeyn said victoriously. He leant his head onto the sofa behind him and simply soaked in the barrage of information his sister had thrown his way at 1:30am. Knowing that it might be a while before he and Mia sat down for such a frank discussion, Zeyn threw caution to the wind and declared, "Alright, well, this is your time."

Mia squinted. "My time? Time for what?"

"In the last two days, I've found out that your boyfriend is twice the age of our aunt and was held captive by a Nazi death cult for the last 75 years, all the while, running around the world, killing JFK and shit." He took a deep breath. "At this point, I don't think there's much else that could surprise me. So, if you have any other burning secrets that you want to lay out there, now's your chance."

Mia looked at him with a blank expression, but in her mind, her options were waging a war against one another. On the one hand, she could finally come clean to him about where she'd gone during her supposed 'holiday'. Not only would he know the full story, but she'd also be able to let loose the burden that had weighed so heavily on her shoulders since the day she'd arrived back in the States. The truth, as they say, would be most freeing.

But once again, she was reminded of the gravity of the situation. She'd been back to Syria. To _Aleppo_ , the very city they'd taken their first steps on. The very land their parents had taken their last breaths upon. She'd been there without him, without the one person who shared a past with her. As much as she longed to tell him, and as much as he deserved to know…there simply wouldn't be any coming back from that.

She swallowed and shook her head. "You've gotten it all out of me."

Zeyn sighed, evident relief on his face. " _Fuck_ , that's good to hear." He heaved off of the floor and ran a hand through his ruffled hair. "Alright bug, I'm gonna need to sleep for a solid 2 days after all of that." She got up with him, and seeing the slightly distressed look on Mia's face, he smiled contentedly as he slung an arm around her shoulder. She took comfort in the presence of her big brother, but couldn't deny the simmering feeling of deceit trapped between the reasoning of her heart and mind. "You did good, kid."

Mia nodded once against his chest, not trusting herself to open her mouth for fear of every truth she sought to hide falling free from her lips. Instead, she waited until he drew apart and lightly tapped a loose fist at the side of her jaw, a childhood ritual that had never quite gone away.

"Get some sleep," he told her as he walked away. "And ask Jesus if Widow's gonna be at the party," he said in a whisper-scream.

"I doubt it, she said she's gonna be in New York for a while," guessed Mia.

His shoulders sagged in disappointment. "You've gotta be kidding me."

She smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, man. But hey, you never know."

He clicked his tongue. "Oh, well. Just gonna have to flirt with the Captain instead." He laughed as Mia's eyes widened to inhuman proportions, not needing that kind of a visual in her already extensively traumatised mind. "G'night, crabcake."

She shook her head and whispered to herself, "One normal sibling, that's all I asked for."

X

"I know I've said this 39 times in the past hour, but…I really can't believe this is happening," said Mel with a dazed look on her face.

Mia fiddled with the curl she'd just created in Mel's hair and carefully put down the straightener. "Dude, you spent so much time with everyone back in Turkey. It's hardly a shock that they like you enough to have you over."

Mel shook her head. "It's not that, it's just…" she swivelled restlessly on her chair in Mia's bathroom. "They really _didn't_ have to invite me. They could've just asked you and Zeyn to come, and that would've made total sense! The fact that they even remembered my name is just…," she trailed off.

Mia laughed. "They don't have amnesia, Mel. And you're sorta unforgettable." Mel _aww'd_ annoyingly, but Mia elaborated. "With the kinda B.O. you've got, they'd have to remember to steer clear of you, y'know?"

"Your humour is unparalleled," Mel deadpanned.

Letting out a laugh, Mia set Mel's hair with some mousse – unfortunately, not the chocolate kind – and messed around for a few minutes before stepping back to observe her work of art. "Wow," she nodded. "I'd definitely smash."

Mel snickered as she got up from her chair and did a once over in the mirror. "Okay, _wow_. I like this. I like this a lot."

Mia beamed both inwardly and outwardly. "And so you should." She checked the time and exclaimed, "Oh my God, _no_! It's 6:15. Ah, you wait with Zeyn, I'm just gonna chuck my dress on real quick."

Mia ran out of the bathroom towards her own room, ignoring _khaala_ 's warning to slow down for fear of slipping on a rug and decapitating herself on the coffee table (and yes, _khaala_ never passed on an opportunity to be graphic as hell when it came to idiotic self-inflicted injuries). Mia shut the door behind her and got to work shrugging her dress on, making sure not to smudge the makeup and hair she'd spent longer than usual working at.

Within 15 minutes, Mia, Zeyn and Mel were saying their goodbyes to _khaala_ for the night, who was presently catching up on one of her beloved Arabic television series. They headed to the car and strapped in while Mia put the address into her GPS, beyond excited that she was actually going to see where Bucky and Steve lived. She couldn't decide whether they had a mansion-sized house in the outer suburbs, stocked with the latest gadgets and hardware in town, _or_ , if they were cooped up in a studio apartment somewhere in the heart of the city, getting by on the basics.

It took less than 25 minutes for the gang to arrive at the doorstep of a 15-floor apartment building, decorated with a beautiful garden at its forefront. It didn't look terribly modern, but the street in itself had a charm to it that only came with older infrastructures, much like the residents they were anxious to meet. The gang walked up towards the apartment buzzer at the front of the gate, with Mia stepping forward to ring the name Bucky had told her to.

"I'm looking for 'Gertrude Nigel'," she mumbled to herself as she went through the names next to the buttons.

Mel grimaced from behind her. "That's a…really unfortunate name."

"Hey," complained Zeyn. "There are some hot 'Gertrude's in the world. Matter of fact, my first girlfriend's name was Gertrude."

"She can't be your girlfriend if the only time you ever talked to her was when she put you in detention," said Mia.

"You had a crush on your teacher?" smiled Mel.

" _Crush_? He was head over heels, man. He even carved 'Gert + Z' on one of the school benches," Mia laughed.

"I was young," reasoned Zeyn.

"…You were 17."

He cut her off, "Alright, let's not get caught up with the whole age difference thing. Need I remind you that your boyfriend was born _before they built the washing machine_?"

Mia ignored him while Mel had the laugh of her life. "Man, I wish someone had taped your reaction when Bucky told you."

"A-ha! Found it," said Mia, effectively ending the conversation regarding her boyfriend's seniority. She buzzed it once and waited for his voice on the other end, but instead, was met with something rather different.

"Yeah?" asked a man in a gruff voice.

"Uh," Mia muttered. "Uhm, hi." She cleared her throat. "Can I please… speak to Gertrude?"

"This is her," said the man.

The three shared a quizzical look before Zeyn silently told Mia to continue. "Uhm, well…we were invited to your…4th of July party."

"I don't celebrate the independence of the United States from its colonial predecessors. We, as a nation, are still not free."

Mia blinked. "Oh…okay. Well –"

"What's your opinion on the country's extensive involvement in colonial warfare and militarisation?" asked the man, apparently rather seriously. When Mia didn't reply for a few seconds, he said, "I'm waiting."

Because they were never really any help at all, Mel and Zeyn were stifling their laughter while Mia was left to decipher _what the fuck_ that question even meant, and why a stranger was asking her such a thing. "I'm…Uh…"

"That's not an answer, ma'am."

She swallowed. "…Can you please repeat the question?"

Just as the mysterious and semi-pushy fellow was about to reply, the sound of laughter streamed in from the other side of the phone. It took Mia a few long moments to recognise some of the voices as Sam, Bucky and Steve, laughing heartily in the background of the call.

"What the—Oh my God, are you kidding me?" Mia asked with a relieved laugh. "Wow. Thanks, guys."

"Hey, your pals told me to do it," defended the unknown man she'd been conversing with. "Come on up, sweetheart," he said easily.

The door buzzed open in an instant, and Mia couldn't help but join in with her two laughing companions.

"Who the hell was that guy?" asked Zeyn.

"I guess we'll find out," said Mia.

The three of them walked onto the ground floor and towards the old elevator situated at the furthest corner. As they rode up the levels, those silent moments were filled with each person taking out their phone to fix little strands of hair, straighten up clothes and all-round make sure that they didn't look like blithering idiots. Mia and Mel did their customary less-than-flattering teeth check, while Zeyn picked some lint off of the long sleeved sweater he'd worn. Because when one is invited to a celebration with a few of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, you can't look like a slouch.

When Mia had asked what clothes would be appropriate for the evening, Bucky had simply said 'anything you're comfortable in', but seeing as though that automatically meant her worn-out Postman Pat pyjamas, she'd had to forsake his advice. Instead, she'd taken to something a little outside of her comfort zone, but a nagging thought in her mind promised her that his reaction would be worth it.

As the bell _dinged_ and they arrived on the 14th level, Mia led the way towards the right door and knocked confidently on its wood. The sound of laughter could be heard from outside, along with some familiar '30s tracks playing softly in the background. Before they waited too long, they heard footsteps approaching, and within a moment, they were standing face to face with an always-familiar smile.

"Look who decided to crash the party," said Sam with open arms. Mia laughed and reached in for a hug, more than happy to see her honorary big brother after a few weeks. " _Wow,_ look at you, Ms. Arabia. That's one fine dress you got on," he marvelled. "Ey…have you gotten shorter?" asked Sam cheekily, making reference to the fact that she was the only person in present company who was less than 6'0 feet tall. "You should look into that."

She shook her head with a grin. " _And,_ so it begins."

Mia walked past him so he could greet Mel and Zeyn, each of them treating one another as though they'd been joined at the hip for a lifetime. She stepped over the apartment's threshold and expected to find a cosy 2-bedroom space. But instead, her eyes were met with a sprawling villa that spanned over the area of an entire floor, with a grand spiral staircase leading to an indoor balcony that fell just short of the unexpectedly high ceiling.

Before Mia's eyes could really appreciate the apartment in its entirety, she was met with the sight of Captain America himself, walking out from behind the open kitchen and towards the group. There was also a man peering into the fridge with his back to Mia, but her attention was quickly diverted by Steve's voice.

"Mia," he said with his trademark boyish grin. "I was starting to think you went home after your pop quiz on colonialism."

Mia laughed, and not having seen him in a while, went in for a hug that all but engulfed her in Steve's unholy Beefcake™-ness.

"You couldn't keep me away, Cap. You know what they say, there's nothing more important than a man's 96th birthday," she said confidently.

He pulled away and looked at her sceptically. "I don't know if I've heard that one before."

Mia clicked her tongue. "You need new company."

He let out a laugh. "You're not wrong there." He noticed the neatly wrapped gift bag in her hands and sighed, "Assuming that's for yours truly, I'm gonna go ahead and say you shouldn't have gone to the trouble."

Mia smiled. "It's nothing serious. I just heard that you needed a new denture kit, so…" she handed him the bag. "Go crazy, Pops."

He laughed and graciously accepted the gift. "Thanks…I think?"

She nudged him softly. "I'm just pullin' your leg. It's a box set of 9 movies directed by one of the greatest filmmakers in history. Ever heard of Alfred Hitchcock?"

He thought for a second. "The name sounds familiar, but…" he shook his head.

"Well then, you've got a fun weekend ahead of you," she smiled.

"Thanks, Mia. I appreciate that," he said earnestly.

Mia glazed her eyes over the gorgeous interior of his house. "I gotta say, Cap. This isn't exactly what I imagined your place would be like. Did you guys buy out the entire floor or something?"

Steve nodded. "As well as the one above and below us."

Mia let out a low whistle. "And they're all decked out like this?"

"Believe me, I had nothing to do with all the…" he looked for the right word. " _Schmancy-_ ness."

"Hey, you don't have to explain yourself to me, Cap," Mia said with raised hands. "I feel like everyone's got a fabulous gay interior designer inside of them."

… _Wait…_

… _What?..._

Mia's eyes widened. "No, not… _inside_ of them…well—I mean, I know some people are into that, but—I'm sure they're not inside of _you_ —," she stammered like a moustached puffbird.

"Mia," said Steve with a slightly horrified look. "You don't have t—I get what you're saying," he assured her.

Mia shut her eyes and stewed in the awkwardness she'd created for a bit. "That got so weird," she whispered mostly to herself.

Steve sighed. "It really did."

"I'm gonna change the subject," said Mia with a nervous laugh. "Uh, so, is this the crew for tonight?"

Steve cleared his throat. "Yeah, mostly. I think we've got a few more coming, but Sam won't tell me who."

She nodded, "Sounds like Sam." She looked past Steve's shoulder to see if she could spot a tall and burly brunette anywhere in the area. Steve noticed her curiosity in an instant and leaned in, saying lowly, "He's doin' his hair."

Mia's face lit up in pure giddiness. "He is?"

Steve nodded with a smile. "Went to his room the minute he heard you were comin' up. He's got a bit of a thing for it." He lapped up Mia's appreciation of that new little detail and offered, "If you want, I can show you where it is."

As tempting as that sounded, Mia's brain simply knew her too well. If she even considered going into Bucky's bedroom _this_ early in the evening, the chances of her reappearing before a few hours were dizzyingly low. "I think…I think I'll just wait for him to come out."

He nodded and turned to look at the man who'd called out his name from behind him.

"Cap, it's not in here," he complained, his back still to Mia and Steve.

Steve called out, "Did you check the side panel?"

The mystery man rummaged about in one of the refrigerator's columns, before picking something up. "This is Haloumi, not Feta." He put it back a little harshly. "They're not the same thing, man."

Mia's ears pricked with familiarity at the sentiment of Feta's superiority. She said generally, "Haloumi shouldn't even be considered a cheese."

"Finally, a voice of reason," said the man as he shut the fridge door and spun around to face them.

And in an instant, Mia felt the very ground beneath her feet give way as she stood only 10 feet from yet _another_ one of Earth's super-secret-boyband.

"Oh, no," she whispered disbelievingly.

He quirked a brow and appraised the still-as-a-statue look on her face. He asked Steve, "She okay?"

Steve shrugged. "She will be."

Mia cleared her throat. "I'm…You aren't…who I was expecting."

"Look a little different without a bow and arrow, huh?" he asked in a 'whatareyagonnado' kinda way.

She laughed a little breathlessly. "Yeah, uh, I guess so."

Knowing that she probably wouldn't have the cognitive capacity to initiate a conversation at that point, Steve took matters into his own hands and introduced the two strangers. "Mia, this is Clint. Clint, this is Mia. She's Bucky's, uh…" he looked at her for help, of which she was none. "She's…Bucky's."

… _That sounds so perfect._

 _No one bring any aerosol near me right now, because I am HIGHLY FLAMMABLE._

 _Send an ambulance._

… _And the National Guard._

… _And The Rock, just in case things get out of hand._

Growing 14 shades redder in an instant, Mia clumsily extended her hand to shake his. "Wow, I…it's an honour to meet you."

Clint smiled in return. "I bet it is. You hear that, Cap? It's an honour to meet me," he gloated. "Bet she wasn't that happy when she saw you for the first time."

Steve chuckled at the memory of his and Mia's initial meeting at the restaurant, along with the similar clumsiness and unrefined nature of it all. "She forgot to ask me to pay."

Clint suddenly stopped shaking Mia's hand and widened his eyes. "Oh, it was _that_ kinda meeting. Wow," he looked Mia's way. "You didn't strike me as that kinda gal, but…hey, everyone's gotta make a living."

Mia furrowed her brows, more confused than she ought to be at such simple words.

…And then it dawned on her.

"I'm not a prostitute!" she said, a little _too_ loudly for the purposes of her current company. And, as fate would have it, the much awaited arrival of her fella' coincided with said outburst, leaving him momentarily perplexed as he turned into the living room. But his confusion didn't last longer than a hot second, because then his eyes had a chance to catch up with his ears.

And, _oh boy_ , was he in for a treat.

Bucky's heart was about ready to spill over into his other vital organs, because somehow, the sounds of Sam, Zeyn and Mel meeting each other excitedly had slipped into the backdrop. The words that Steve and Clint were exchanging fell below a murmur to his ears, because standing there, in the middle of his home, was a woman dressed to indulgence, with eyes that saw only him.

For the purposes of that fine summer's evening, Mia had worn a scarlet spaghetti-strapped dress that cinched tantalising at her waist, then fell to the middle of her thighs. The curves riddled along her bronzed legs were accentuated by the black heels she'd chosen, and if it hadn't been for his insatiable desire to reach out and feel his girl beneath his fingertips, Bucky could've died with that sight as his last and been a happy man.

Mia, too, had noticed his arrival the moment he'd stepped into her peripheral view. She'd been blabbering something to Steve and Clint, but her nervousness at meeting another Avenger had all but dissipated as she saw Bucky walking towards her, his black jeans paired with a white tee that fit snugly under a dark, denim jacket. It was hardly the kind of look she was used to from him, but at least she knew that they were _both_ a little out of their comfort zones that night.

And if being a wee bit uncomfortable meant she got to have a view like _that_ …well, risqué dresses weren't _too_ tough to wear, she supposed.

"—not saying that you're a prostitute, but the word 'high level escort' definitely crossed my mind—" paused Clint. He followed Mia's line of vision to Bucky and said lowly to Steve, "I don't think she's listening."

He sighed softly and nodded. "Yeah. You'll get used to it."

At the sound of Steve's voice, Mia snapped back into reality. "Sorry, what…what were you saying?"

Clint reminded, "Your profession."

"Oh!" nodded Mia. "Right, well, we met at the restaurant I work at."

"Any good?" he asked with interest.

Mia laughed. "The best, if you're into Italian."

He scoffed, "Sounds about right." Mia smiled and tried not to combust as Bucky finally took the last few steps to join them. Clint was the one to address his presence first. "There he is, the man o' the minute."

Bucky smiled a little and nodded, coming to stand near Mia as she inwardly debated how to greet him with other people around. Since they'd been _together_ together, they hadn't had many opportunities to showcase their relationship to their friends, and especially not to newly-made acquaintances. She didn't want to seem too overbearing and embarrass him, but neither did she want to brush him off entirely.

So, instead, she went with the most idiotic option that presented itself.

She extended her hand to shake Bucky's, adding awkwardly, "Hey."

Steve and Clint looked at her with furrowed brows, while Bucky simply had an expression of mild horror. Slowly, he shook her hand and replied with confusion, "…Hi."

Realising in an instant that she'd made things unbearably cringe-worthy, Mia tried to make it better by leaning in for a slow 'bro-clap' hug.

…Needless to say, she did _not_ make things better.

Bucky returned the light tap on the shoulder, and thankfully, Mia let him loose from their forced shake 'n' embrace, clearing her throat as she stared down at her feet.

"Uh, Cap, how about showin' me where you're hiding the dairy," said Clint, a little unnerved by the awkwardness of the scene that'd just unfolded in front of him.

Steve agreed in an instant. "Sure, yeah, this way."

And with that, the two Avengers headed back into the kitchen, leaving Mia and Bucky to decipher exactly _what_ had just transpired.

"…Are you…okay?" asked Bucky concernedly.

Mia grimaced. "Was that as weird as I think it was?"

He paused. "It was worse."

She groaned, " _No._ " She clutched her temples, "I didn't know if you'd wanna…y'know…in front of everyone—"

Bucky didn't let it linger in her mind too long, instead, guiding her closer with a hand on her waist and placing a soft kiss to her pink lips. It took Mia by surprise, but it was the best kind of distraction.

As they grew apart, Bucky did a not-so-subtle once over of her, not remembering ever having seen her in something so… _exposing._

"What are you doin' to me?" he asked softly, aware that her brother was half a room away.

Mia's warm brown eyes glimmered under the chandelier's light as she replied, "What do you mean?"

He looked pointedly down at her. "This dress, your hair…" he shook his head. "You're out here lookin' like Betty White."

… _Pardon?_

Mia furrowed her brows. "…I look like a 95-year-old white lady?"

He laughed unexpectedly, having forgotten that even though _he_ hadn't aged in the past 70 years, the rest of the world had. "No, I mean…back then—she…," he tried to explain, but decided to stick to the basics. "You look incredible."

Mia's cheeks flared as she laughed. " _Me_? What about you? First a suit, and now…" she toyed with a button on his jacket. " _Denim_?"

He asked unsurely, "Too much?"

She scoffed as though she'd never heard something so preposterous. "Not exactly what I meant." She vocalised a thought she'd had for a while as she smiled cheekily, "Who does your shopping? I mean, do you guys go out, does it get delivered?" She squinted, "You got a fashion designer girlfriend I don't know about?"

Bucky smirked. "Well…"

"Besides Steve, I mean," she teased.

Bucky's face fell as he raised an unimpressed brow. "Really?"

She brought a hand up to his jaw and _smushed_ his cheek obnoxiously. "You'll accept that part of you one day, honey," she said too-sweetly.

Bucky had about 9 different responses that would've shut her _right_ up, but they were destined to be kept unspoken as Zeyn, Mel and Sam waltzed towards them happily.

"Ey, Jesus!" said Zeyn with a beaming smile. "How's it hangin', champ?"

"Hey, man," said Bucky with a smile as he and Zeyn met. It warmed Mia's heart to no end to see her brother talking to her boyfriend with such ease, and vice versa. Their dinner together had made all the difference, and if Mia had known that they'd take such a liking to each other from the get-go, she wouldn't have postponed their meeting for so long.

"Hey, Buckster," said Mel as she trailed behind Zeyn.

Bucky smiled openly at the sight of Mia's best friend after not having seen her in quite a while. "Wow, you finally came back," he joked.

Mel shrugged. "Home was calling," she said. "And, y'know, graduation's in 3 days, so…"

He nodded. "How's your aunt doing?" he asked, careful not to give away the fact that he himself had actually stayed with her family when he'd gone to Turkey.

Mel smiled. "She's good, she's…getting by." She laughed and nudged Mia, "Misses having this one around though."

Mia clicked her tongue. "She's hands down one of the coolest ladies I've met."

Zeyn shook his head. "Y'know, I keep forgetting you went to Hatay. I feel like you've been here the whole time."

Mia smiled stiffly. "Yeah, me too."

Their mini-reunion was all but gate-crashed by the intruding presence of Cap and Hawkeye as they entered the room. Being that it was _Cap_ 's birthday, Mel and Zeyn were well aware that he would be attending. But the fact that they were now less than 3 metres away from _another_ Avenger was all a little too much.

"Oh, my God. It's The Crow," said Zeyn to Mel.

"Dude, his name's Hawkeye," she corrected. "Oh, my God. He's coming towards us."

Steve saw the two of them standing amongst the others and made a beeline for Zeyn, greeting him with a smile and saying, "Glad you could make it."

Zeyn reached out to shake his extended hand. "Well, y'know what they say. Nothin' more important than a man's 96th."

Steve looked over to Mia as she stood next to Bucky, shooting him an 'I told ya so' kinda look. "So I've been told." He turned to Mel and greeted her like the friend that she was, leaning in to give her a small hug as he said, "Turkey finally send you back?"

"They couldn't afford me," she laughed. "Happy Birthday, Cap."

He nodded appreciatively. "Thank you." He looked back and clapped a hand on Clint's shoulder. "Uh, I don't think you guys have met. Clint, this is Mia's brother, Zeyn, and her pal, Mel."

"Good to meet ya," Clint said to Mel.

"You too," she smiled dumbly as Clint looked to Zeyn.

"It's a pleasure, man," said Zeyn with a warm smile and a handshake.

"Likewise," said Clint. "You into prostitution as well, or is that just for the women in the family?"

Zeyn's smile fell almost instantly, and because he hadn't heard the conversation that preceded his entry, he was on a whole other level of lost. "I'm…I'm sorry?"

Before the group could get any further with their riveting discussion, the apartment phone buzzed, which meant that another faithful guest was waiting at the gate.

"Barton, you're up!" shouted Sam to nowhere in particular.

Clint waltzed over to the apartment phone and asked Sam lowly, "Same one we did before?"

"Yeah, she won't know who it is," said Sam confidently.

Clint picked up the phone and asked in the same gruff voice he'd talked to Mia in, "What d'you want, punk?"

"We know it's you, Barton," said a familiar voice rather boredly.

"You could at least play along—Wait… _we_?" asked Clint.

"Open up," said Nat in a sing-song voice.

Clint sighed heavily. "You've crushed my spirits, Widow."

"You'll survive," she said shortly.

And with that, Clint opened the gate so Nat and the other mystery guest could get into the building, making Mia all but hop around the room with excitement at getting to see her unsuspecting mentor again. It'd been about a month since she'd seen Nat, and though it wasn't too long a time, she'd missed her near constant presence immensely.

Mia did good to not make any smartass comments when she saw her brother subtly fixing his hair at the sound of Nat's voice, and it wasn't long before there was a soft knock on the door, followed by Clint's unimpressed reception of the guests.

"The new kid's reaction was way better than yours," he declared plainly as he swung the door open for the guests to enter.

Nat quirked her signature smirk. "Good evening to you too, partner." She walked in, dressed to effortless perfection, and greeted everyone in a way that was _purely Natasha._ She sent a token nod to both Sam and Bucky, and began Steve's routine roasting the moment she laid eyes on him. She was on her way to meet Mia and the others, when the mystery woman finally walked into the apartment as well.

The unidentified guest stood at 5'8 with luscious blonde hair that fell in soft waves beyond her shoulders. Her eyes were of chestnut and oak, and though Mia didn't recognise who she was, there was an undeniable warmth that came from her presence. But just before the others could greet the women herself, Zeyn's voice took everyone in the room by surprise.

"Sharon?" he asked in a tone dripping with bewilderment.

The woman, who was apparently named Sharon, looked up to lock eyes with Zeyn and broke into a shocked, albeit genuine smile. "Wha—Zeyn?" she laughed breathlessly. "Oh, my God. What…what are you doing here?"

The two gravitated towards each other and before the others even had a chance to catch on, they were locked in an embrace that most people see from age-old friends. "I could ask you the same thing, Stoner," laughed Zeyn as he released her from his grip. "You're gate-crashing, aren't you?"

Sharon laughed and shook her head. "Afraid not, received an invitation."

Zeyn simply kept shaking his head, obviously not believing that this woman was standing in front him. "Sharon freakin' Carter."

Thankfully, Nat verbalised the question that was on everyone's mind. "I think we're all missing something here."

Zeyn nodded, "Oh, right. Uh, Sharon trained at our _dojo_ in Sydney for a while last year. Did a kick-ass job, too."

Nat quirked a brow. "You were in Australia?"

Sharon nodded a little sheepishly. "I was thinking of…broadening my options."

"But you came back," said Nat with a hidden grin.

No one in the room caught the way that Steve's eyes flitted to Sharon's, and her gaze fell just short of his as she replied, "It felt right here."

The room fell into a slightly weird silence considering that there were almost 10 people in it, but as always, Sam Wilson never failed in easing tension. "Well, warmest of welcomes to you, Ms. Carter," he said with a charming smile. "Lemme introduce you to the freakshow we got here tonight. This is Mel…"

As the room was once more filled with the sound and laughter, Mia's eyes tripped to Steve's, who looked as though he was about to self-destruct at the slightest movement. If she had to guess, it was almost as though he hadn't known that Sharon would be making an appearance that night, and judging by the way that Bucky sneakily side-eyed him with a knowing glint in his observation, she wasn't wrong.

Mia nudged Bucky softly. "Did you do this?"

He looked down at her. "Do what?"

"Invite the girl Steve likes to his party without telling him," she said with a smirk.

His poker face never wavered as he replied, "I don't know what you're talking about." He paused, "And it was Wilson's idea."

Mia laughed, unsurprised. "You guys are the worst, poor Steve looks like he's gonna drop dead out of shock."

Taking that information, Bucky moved inconspicuously towards his super-soldier counterpart and bumped his shoulder. "You good?"

Steve turned to look at him, with one simple question in mind. " _Why_?"

"Because you weren't gonna do anything about it," said Bucky plainly.

"That's because I didn't _want_ to do anything about it," defended Steve.

"Of course you didn't." Bucky paused, "Now grow a pair and go talk to her."

As much as Steve _adored_ the fact that his best friend was regaining fragments of who he'd once been as the days rolled by, Bucky had always had the annoyingly persistent habit of forcing Steve into things that he didn't want to do, but were ultimately for his benefit. Taking Bucky's insistence as a sign that he should rise to the challenge, Steve went about making his first conversation of the night with Sharon.

And somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he'd be grateful that he did.

X

For all intents and purposes, the night had kicked off to a raving start. When Mia met Sharon, she knew within 2 minutes of speaking to her that they'd get along swimmingly. She was kind with her words and had a muted elegance that reminded her of people who belonged to another era, but that didn't stop her from contributing to the life of the party.

All the guests eventually took to the pop-up bar that Clint had orchestrated, and had raided it of snacks and pizza within record time. Making use of the palatial seating area in the living room, the crowd lounged on sofas and chairs as they began the festivities of the night.

To start off with, the crew chatted elatedly over their food, with 3 or 4 groups forming around the room. Mel and Sharon instantly clicked after they both found out that they shared a love for KDrama, laughing a little tipsily as they deconstructed the latest episode of one of their favourite shows. Mia, Nat and Sam tried to uncover the deeper meanings of the universe as they flipped the channel to a Neil deGrasse Tyson documentary, begging the question 'how long would it take a boombox to freeze in Saturn's orbit'?

Steve, Zeyn, Bucky and Clint found themselves at one of Steve's cabinets, sifting through a few _original_ outlines of Harley Davidson motorcycles. He'd been gifted them by a senior manager a few years back when they'd learned Cap was a loyal fan, and it'd been one of Steve's most prized possessions ever since.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing," said Zeyn in complete awe.

"You sure you weren't majorly ripped off, Cap?" asked Clint. "Seems a little too good to be true."

Steve smiled, "I thought so at first too. But then the company sent over the illustrator's grandson who'd found them in the first place, and he told me the whole story." He let out a breath, "No way to know for sure, I guess."

"Is that the '40s EL?" asked Bucky with slightly widened eyes.

Steve nodded. "Sure is. I didn't think you remembered that."

"You almost killed Ole' Man Jenkins when you rode it for the first time, 'course I remember," he said with a smile. The two shared an amused look, both reliving the memory as they stood.

 _Man, oh, man_. They'd come a long way.

The group gravitated back towards the other, joining Mia, Sam and Nat as they sat glued to the television. They'd now switched to a thrilling episode of 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills', and though their brain cell count rapidly deteriorated with every passing minute, they found themselves becoming enthralled nonetheless.

Bucky settled himself snugly next to Mia, shooting her a contented smile when she looked his way. Clint came to sit on the other side of her, asking interestedly, "What'd I miss?"

Mia downed a handful of popcorn as she explained, "Okay, _so_ , Sonia thinks that Rachel slept with her husband because someone saw them out at dinner together." She offered some popcorn to Clint as she continued, " _But_ , Sonia and Eric have already been having problems with their marriage for a while, so Rachel's saying that he was just in need of a friend. To top it all off, Stacey's tryna make things worse by saying that her plastic surgeon _swore_ Eric came into the clinic with some fine 22-year-old from Florida last week."

"Unbelievable," said Clint disapprovingly. "Sonia still doesn't know the _half_ of the story, though."

Mia looked at him in shock. "You mean…you know what happens?"

He shrugged. "I know a guy who knew a guy who was friends with Eric's 3rd wife." He shook his head at Mia, "Do _not_ trust a fella' whose dad marries one of his son's exes."

Mia's mouth fell open. "No. Freaking. Way."

He nodded and was about to continue when he took a moment to _really_ look at Mia, making him realise something for the first time that night. "Have I seen you somewhere before?"

Mia's brows furrowed. "Me? Uh, I don't think so."

"I think we dated once," said Clint, a hint of liquor on his breath.

Mia laughed blushingly. "I think I'd remember that." She thought back to a time where he may have seen her. "You ever visited Georgetown?" He shook his head, to which she suggested, "Oh, maybe you've been to Vito's, the restaurant I met Steve at."

"Where is it?" he asked.

"Anastasia Avenue. The outside's completely lit up, feels _real_ Sicilian."

Clint thought for a moment. "I don't think so. It'll come to me." He leaned in and said, "Or it won't. I can't see shit too clearly right now."

Before Mia could add in her two cents, Nat whisked the bottle from Clint's hand. "I think you've had more than enough for tonight, sir."

"It's the 4th of fucking July, Romanoff," he complained as she downed his drink. "We don't have work tomorrow, I can have another."

"Not if you wanna stay up long enough to see Cap act out 'Secret Diary of a Callgirl'," she smirked.

At that, Clint, Mia _and_ Bucky asked in unison, "What?"

Being the man with a plan, Sam had suggested a _sinfully_ entertaining game of Adult Charades, with all the names on the cards being of R Rated movies, unspeakable songs or just _generally_ difficult things to mime. The crew agreed in an instant, all of them perching themselves comfortably on sofas with cold ones in hand and filled stomachs. By this point, Mel, Clint and Sam had had _a little too much_ to drink, but the onset of drunkenness only added to the fun of the night.

Mel had the task of acting out 'Candy Shop', while Zeyn had gotten 'Pulp Fiction'. Everyone laughed 'til their stomachs and cheeks no longer worked when Steve confusedly tried to explain 'Sex and the City' to them, with all his friends pretending not to know the answer _just_ so he could keep up the act for 5 solid minutes. After he ran out of ways to respectfully describe the phrase, he threw his hands helplessly in the air and sat red-faced in the only seat available, which just so happened to be next to a tipsy Sharon. She tapped a comforting hand on his shoulder with a laugh, and he couldn't really stay sour for too long after that.

As a part of the universe's unending quest to humiliate the wits out of her, Mia had gotten 'Loosen Up My Buttons' by the Pussycat Dolls. Even though she hadn't taken to any alcohol that night, the high she felt simply from being around such entertaining company was enough for her to throw all caution to the wind. As her time started, she got the easy words out of the way by acting out 'up' and 'my'. After that, the boisterous crowd shouted random names of things before she even had a chance to really get started, but regardless of their contributions, her eyes stayed on Bucky.

He was sitting front and centre in her line of sight, having had an absolute blast so far that evening. It'd been so easy shaking off his nervousness in the presence of his current company, and his enjoyment only continued when his girl got up in front of everyone to act out her card. He was smiling in encouragement when Mia looked at him shyly, ignoring the loud calls of the others. Slowly, she brought her hands up in front of her dress and seemed to be fiddling with nothing at her chest. That in itself was enough to rid Bucky of his smile and replace it with guarded anticipation. Her eyes were a little more serious as she looked straight at him, not even realising that she was swaying slowly, as though she was making a show out of it, while she worked her fingers unhurriedly.

Now completely unaware of the incoherent screams of the others, Bucky felt his throat go dry as Mia pretended to undo a button right at the peak of her chest, the place where her dress dipped enough to uncover her flawlessly tanned skin. She smiled that bashful smile she always did in moments of brief mischief, and as her fingers trailed down to her stomach to loosen _another_ fake button, Bucky knew that someone would have to _guess the fucking name_ before he had to remove himself from the situation.

"—the song from the Pussycat D—Oh, my God! I got it! 'Loosen Up My Buttons'?" shouted Mel along with the others.

"Yes," said Mia as she dropped her hands and tore her eyes away from Bucky. Everyone was in a mix of drunkenly hi-fiving each other and berating themselves for not having thought of it sooner, while Zeyn was still covering his eyes in a bid to _never_ see his little sister doing something as provocative as that again. "Are you done harassing my mind?!" he asked loudly.

Mia tapped him on the back of the head as she walked back to her spot. "You can open 'em."

He shook his head as he turned back around to face the group. "A warning would've been _great_ , Mia."

"I liked it without the warning," offered Nat. "I think _everyone_ liked it that way."

"I liked it," giggled Mel with a raised hand.

Sharon nodded, "Agreed."

"I second that," said Sam.

"Third," declared Clint.

Steve nodded along while Bucky simply did the same, not trusting himself to say anything in that moment.

…Or to move…

…Or to breathe, really.

By the time that everyone had gotten a chance to act something out, Mel was well on her way to being _properly_ drunk. In that state, she was known to be even _happier_ than usual, and a good case of the giggles were more than enough to set her off for a few minutes. It was as she sat on the floor right in front of Mia that Mel found herself laughing charmingly at a joke Clint had made about 3 librarians walking into a bar. She'd been nursing a full glass of Coors and hadn't felt it tipping in her hand until it was too late, and it splashed all over the bottom half of Mia's dress.

Mia herself hadn't even noticed until Mel began apologising profusely, swaying as she got up onto her feet and running a hand through her hand. "No, oh God, Mia, I'm so sorry! I didn't even…shit, wait, let me help you."

No sooner had she said spoken and Mel wobbled dizzily in her tall heels, helped only by Bucky and Steve's ever-comforting holds. "Woah, woah. Okay, how about we set ya' down right here," said Steve comfortingly.

Mia got up from the sofa and helped them ease Mel down in her place, hushing her as she continued to apologise. "Your dress, Mia, I'm so sorry." She rambled adorably, "I promise I'll get it dry-cleaned from the best dry-cleaners in all of Ohio."

Mia laughed as she patted her arm. "We're in DC, darling."

Mel furrowed her brows. "Well, then…I'll get it sent to Ohio and have the best of the best clean it for you, I promise."

Mia took the glass from her friend's hand. "I know you will, Mel. Alright, uh…" Mia looked down at her well and truly _messed up_ dress. She looked to Bucky in a silent plea for help, and as always, he immediately came to the rescue.

"C'mere, I'll grab you something else to put on," he said as he ushered her away from the living area. The rest of the crew were already caught up in new ways to pass the time, with Sam, Clint and Zeyn setting up the Xbox, and Steve and Sharon sprouting a little conversation of their own.

Bucky guided Mia by the hand further within the villa, taking her past a few rooms before they arrived at his. He wordlessly led her inside, and regardless of the innocent intent they'd gone there with, Mia couldn't control the wave of flutters that spread through her stomach as he shut the door behind them.

The room in itself was rather big, with a simple bed in the middle and a closed cupboard in the corner. The walls were bare except for a few generic paintings which Mia supposed came with the house. There was a shelf lined with dozens of books and records, ranging from the Harry Potter collection to Tolstoy's 'War and Peace'. As Bucky went about clearing a few shirts from his bed, Mia found herself at the shelf and wondered out loud, "Are these all yours?"

Bucky looked up. "No, uh, they're Steve's. People gave him a bunch of things after the ice, they couldn't all fit in his room, so…"

Strangely, it occurred to Mia for the first time the uncanny paradox between Steve and Bucky. When Steve had been reintroduced to the world a few years ago, he'd been hailed a hero. He was the saviour that Americans and global citizens had idolised for decades, and upon realising that he was still alive, all everyone had wanted to do was to make him feel at home.

But with Bucky…his reality had consisted only of ducking and weaving from the world at large for fear of persecution at their hands. The few valuables that he owned were still in boxes on the floor, and Mia got the feeling that try as he may, he'd failed to find home anywhere in his new life.

Bucky walked to her and appraised the still _very_ wet dress. "I'll, uh, get you something else to wear."

Mia looked down at herself and laughed softly. "Yeah, that'd be great, thank you."

Bucky rummaged through his cupboard in search of anything that would even remotely fit her, or maybe in the luck of finding some girl clothes that had come equipped with the house Fury had provided. Meanwhile, Mia sat herself comfortably on Bucky's bed, watching him sift through his clothes in a way that was most endearing. To shake the comfortable silence that filled the air, Mia decided to ask a few questions she'd kept at the back of her mind.

"I think meeting Hawkeye tonight was the _last_ thing I would've expected from this party," she smiled. "Does that mean that he knows who you are?"

Bucky replied without turning around, "They all do, all of Steve's…work pals."

Mia asked in shock, "You mean…the Avengers know about you?"

He nodded as he grabbed a plain shirt and something else from the top of his wardrobe. "Tasha said they've known since DC happened."

He came to stand in front of her as she asked, "Are you…are you okay with them knowing?"

"I figured it'd happen eventually." He shrugged softly, "Can't do too much now."

Mia wet her lips. "Do they wanna meet you, or…?"

He paused before nodding a little solemnly. "We're going to New York in 2 weeks."

Though it always pained her when Bucky left town, Mia knew that this was a major step for him. It'd be a firm stride towards normalcy, another chance for him to work as part of a team. If this meant cementing himself further in the path he hoped to take to redemption, then it'd be more than worth it. Mia smiled reassuringly, "That's awesome, Buck. This'll be good for you."

Bucky smiled weakly at her enthusiasm, but there was so much she didn't know. There was an entire history with him and the Starks, one that he was afraid to tell her for fear of losing one of the only lights he had in his life. She accepted him for who he was, yes. But putting a name and a face to one of the murders he'd committed would be nothing short of destructive for them.

At least, that's what he thought.

Mia noticed him grow a little tense at the mention of the topic, so to pull him back, she asked, "Is that for me?"

He looked at his hands and then passed her the clothes. "I'll go outside."

"No," Mia said, maybe a bit too quickly. She cleared her throat and willed her cheeks to _not_ go red. "I mean…it's okay, you can stay. Just…close your eyes."

Bucky looked at her sceptically, but she made his decision for him as she snatched the clothes from his hands and waltzed to the corner of the room. He took her place at the edge of the bed and made it obvious that he wasn't looking, but he didn't know that there was a not-so-tiny part of her that hoped he'd take a peek.

Deciding to make a show of it _just_ in casehis curiosity got the better of him, Mia slowly peeled down the straps of her dress and unzipped the side of it in one, clean stroke. She gathered her hair to one shoulder as she shimmied out of the top half of the dress, suddenly hyperaware of the fact that the in-built bra was going with it. Rather than sitting in silence for the next few minutes, she decided that maybe she'd have better luck at manipulating his gentlemanly tendencies if she started a conversation.

"So, how long have Cap and Sharon been going on for?" she asked.

Bucky instinctively opened his eyes to reply, but was all the worse for it when he accidentally caught a glimpse of her uncovered back facing towards him, with her hair pulled to the side. He closed his eyes immediately and cleared his throat. "I don't…I don't know. She's helped him with intel for a few ops, but…besides that, they haven't done anything."

"It's kinda genius inviting her tonight, though. She seemed really comfortable with everyone, even saw her talking to Steve a few times." Mia then used both hands to push the dress down to her thighs, leaving her clad in only a pair of – thankfully – lace underwear that did a terrible job at hiding the skin it covered.

Though Bucky was no stranger to internal conflict, he found that his resolve was breaking by the moment when his mind did a good job at imagining what was unfolding in the corner of his room. He heard her push the dress down her body until it finally landed on the floor with a soft _thud_ , and from then on…

 _Well_ , it was hardly a surprise that he gave in.

Discovering that your imagination pales in comparison to reality might be bittersweet to some, but when it means that there's a woman sculpted to perfection standing mostly bare in the privacy of one's room, it's not so bad.

Bucky tried to pick up his jaw from the floor as his eyes trailed the curve of her thigh, past the voluptuous skin covered by black lace, and up towards the same scars he'd seen a few nights ago in her bedroom. He felt his hand twitch at the desire to run his palm along the entirety of her, to simply _feel_ the existence of something so perfect.

And yes, scars and bumps and inconsistencies considered, she was still perfect.

He felt a wave of heat flush through him as she bent down to pick up the shirt he'd given her, slipping it on easily over her skin. And almost too soon, the privilege that was her body was covered up by a long, black tee that was all too big for her. She looked as though she was about to throw on the female sweats he'd given her as well, but something prompted her to turn and face him instead.

He was a little too slow at closing his eyes again to fool her, but luckily, that was exactly the reaction she'd wanted.

Mia smiled timidly as she said, "I would've been offended if you didn't look, y'know." To Bucky's confused expression, she tossed the sweats back onto the floor and made her way to him, not knowing what she was going to do but succumbing to the pull regardless. His eyes widened fractionally as she came to stand in front of him, her thighs peeking out from under his shirt and her hair slightly frazzled after the long night.

As Mia inched closer and daintily pressed both palms to his shoulders, Bucky found his hands automatically drifting to her hips, as though they'd never belonged anywhere else. She shuffled between his legs and laughed freely when he managed to pull her down so she was leaning on his knee. Taking full advantage of their situation, Mia sat down comfortably on his lap, her arms hooked around the back of his neck and her eyes never leaving his.

Bucky felt as though they'd spent lifetimes just like that, nothing rushed or rehearsed, simply _happening_. As he gave all the right signals for her to do something, Mia leaned in and captured his lips in a kiss that felt a little too perfect to be real. She smiled as they stayed like that for a few moments, wasting the time away as though no one was there to tell them otherwise. Feeling her way through it, Mia tugged at his jacket in a bid for him to take it off, as well as the glove that stayed permanently atop his metal hand. He acquiesced in a heartbeat, and the sight of him sitting in a tight white tee was enough to make her a little dizzy under the warm lamp light.

Bucky shifted a little so she sat more comfortably, allowing his hands to drift up and beneath her shirt as she leaned in closer still. He'd glossed over the band of her underwear and was venturing upwards when he came across her scars, feeling their roughness beneath his fingertips. Mia felt him still at the touch, making her lean back in his lap so she could make sure everything was okay.

"What's wrong?" she asked in a voice just above a whisper.

"Nothing," he answered, too quickly for it to be genuine.

Mia smiled encouragingly. "C'mon, now you have to say it."

Bucky's nerves calmed at the feel of Mia carding her fingers through his hair. He looked up at her, not wanting to scare her away or make her remember something she'd rather forget, but the question had lingered in his mind for so long. "What happened here?" he asked as he rubbed the parallel scars on her back softly.

Mia's face fell a little as those words left Bucky's lips, an obvious memory replaying in her head. But before he could apologise for bringing it up, she smiled for him, a smile that was native to her. She touched a thumb to the corner of his mouth and said, "That's a sad story for another day, Sergeant."

Bucky fell quiet at the new nickname, not realising how much he adored it until after Mia had silenced his mind and lips. She steadily built up the rhythm they'd been in once more, and it didn't seem like too long until they were back where they'd been. Feeling as though it was the only logical next step, Bucky clasped his hands at Mia's thighs and picked her up swiftly, before depositing her onto the bed in one easy move.

She laughed as her head hit the pillow, a raw feeling of anticipation wreaking havoc in her stomach as Bucky joined her once more. She leaned up on her elbows to help him take off the white tee he'd worn so diligently, and everything they were doing was leading to the realisation that this was long, _long_ overdue.

It wasn't planned, nor had it been talked about in the days leading up to it. Strangely, they didn't feel like two adults who were simply doing what people expected them to do when they were together. Instead, it felt young. Both people felt as though they were entirely new to this experience, taking their time to map out the details of one another in a place where they felt safe. It was how it should be, without expectation and bereft of pressure.

For whatever reason, when it was them two, it was easy.

Mia was running her palm along Bucky's chest when he tugged softly at her shirt, leaving it up to her to decide how she wished to go forth. In her mind, it was a no-brainer. She'd known in the weeks that they'd been together that this was what she'd wanted, but his insistence on making sure made it all the more special.

It felt as though she'd no sooner started pulling her shirt off that a deafening knock on the door sent them both tumbling apart, as well as scaring the wits out of them.

"Ey, Dorothy and Tinman, get your asses out here. The fireworks are about to start, and we're gonna have Cap's cake after," said a determined Sam.

Mia knocked her head back onto the pillow as she said breathlessly, "You've gotta be kidding me."

"No, I'm not," said Sam. "I know what y'all are tryna do in there, but I ain't gonna let you defile this house when everybody else is waiting on your asses. So, hurry up, ladies."

And with that, Sam left a now _very_ frustrated Mia and Bucky to fix their appearances. They both looked at each other with the same thought in mind;

 _10 minutes. That's all we needed. 10. Freaking. Minutes._

Mia looked down at Bucky as he moved to the edge of the bed. She smiled sheepishly, "Are you, uh…gonna be okay…to go out there."

He glared adorably at her. "Are you?"

Mia laughed and clicked her tongue. "I can hide it a little better than you can." She went to grab her previously discarded sweats from the floor and shrugged them on, but this time, Bucky knew that the only way he'd survive this was if he _didn't_ look at her. Grabbing his shirt and jacket from their scattered spots, Mia passed them to him. "Y'know, uhm, we can always…come back. I mean, when the fireworks finish," she said with unreserved desire.

And _that_ got him motivated.

It seemed only a few minutes before the two of them had rejoined the group at the floor-to-ceiling window in the living area. They had a gorgeous view of the city from where they stood, and with each person standing shoulder to shoulder, this unlikely group of friends felt a little like things couldn't get much better.

"Glad you could join us," said Sam smugly.

"Oh, you'll get what's coming to you, Sammy. Just you wait," said Mia lowly.

Sam scoffed. "Yeah, yeah. That's just the hormones talking."

The fireworks began with a spectacular _bang_ , taking everyone by surprise as the magnificent colours peppered the night sky. Mia and Bucky stood next to Zeyn, who'd taken up the opportunity to strike a conversation with Nat about God knows what.

Everyone was talking in a low murmur, but Bucky couldn't help but zone out momentarily at the normality of it all. Here he was, a misfit who deserved none of the comforts he had, with his girl at his hip and friends in his company. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen fireworks, but the sight was no less spectacular because of a lack of comparison. He understood why people loved them, and the significance of his best friend being born on this very day 96 years ago wasn't lost on him. There they were, all those years later, still celebrating under colourful skies.

…But it shouldn't have been a surprise that a night as perfect as that one couldn't last forever.

"I got it!" said Clint as he joined the rest of the team at the window. He made a beeline for Mia and put a weighty hand on her shoulder, inhaling deeply before declaring, "I remember where I've seen you."

Mia smiled and tried not to laugh too hard at his endearingly drunken state. "It was the restaurant, wasn't it?" she guessed.

"Operation Sandpaper," he interrupted. "Aleppo."

…And not a poet in the world could've described how Mia's heart dropped in that moment.

"Wh…What?" she whispered, hoping beyond hope that she'd somehow misheard him.

"That's it, I knew it," he said with a snap of his finger. "You're the non-combatant we couldn't ID. Everybody else was on SHIELD's radar, but you…you weren't even in the system."

Mia shook her head in veiled horror. "Clint, I…I think you've got the wrong girl—"

By this point, everyone in the group had diverted their attention to Clint's mild outburst, but none of them could've fathomed the wave of confusion Zeyn felt at the man's words. "What is he talking about?" he asked Mia in a soft voice.

Mia turned to him and tried to keep a straight face. "I don't know, he's…he's just drunk."

"Might be drunk and deaf, but I'm not blind, sweetheart," he said to Mia with a reassuring smile. "You slippery bastards got there before Stark did, which was…new."

"Clint, no—" Mia spoke futilely.

"And believe me, you did a great job. Goin' on missions with Cap and Widow ain't exactly a walk in the park—"

"Clint," tried to offer Nat.

"—especially in a place like _Syria_ —"

"Mia," said Zeyn insistently. "What is he talking about?"

She looked around helplessly at the others, and each of them mirrored a variation of the shock she felt. But this wasn't their responsibility, and interfering would only make things worse.

"Oh…oh, no," said Clint, realisation clear on his face. "You didn't know," he pointed at Zeyn. "Hey man, I'm shit-faced, I don't know what the hell I'm sayin'. Just—I'm gonna go lie down."

Clint left the group, but regardless of how she tried to salvage it, Mia knew that the damage had been done. The fireworks still sounded in the background, and when she conjured enough courage to look at her big brother, the lights in the sky reflected the hurt in his eyes.

22 years at his side, and she'd never seen him so torn.

"Tell me he's lying," Zeyn said in a voice above a whisper.

It was a quiet plea, a last chance to let the night resume its celebrations and for elation to be felt once more. They could have a laugh about it while the sounds of the city backgrounded their enjoyment, could deem it a close-call at a disaster, and let everything return to normal.

But he didn't need to hear words when Mia's expression wrote an entire tale. Her lips were parted and her eyes had traitorously begun to shine. She shook her head softly and tried but failed to get the words out.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Zeyn's face fell, and it was clear that all false pretences had vanished. He was no longer the friend that made everyone laugh 'til their stomachs burned, nor was he the stranger who showered all he encountered with kindness.

No, in that moment, he was the brother who stood with his heart in his hands, slit to remnants by the only person he'd trusted it with.

"Zeyn—" Mia said with an outstretched hand, but her stomach turned unbearably as her brother flinched away from her touch.

He swallowed, letting his gaze fall to his feet. Clearing his throat lowly, he said to the room, "Excuse me."

And without another word, he turned on his heel and headed out the door. Mia stared dumbly as it shut behind him, but Bucky's graze of her arm brought her back to her senses.

"I have to go—I have to go to him," she told Bucky. "I'm…" she looked at Steve. "I'm so sorry for this."

Mia didn't wait to hear their words of protest, because her sole purpose was to get down to the lobby in time to catch him. She rushed out the door and watched as the numbers on the elevator wound down, opting to take the stairs in a frenzied rush.

The 14-floor descent took longer as her thoughts grew louder with each passing minute, not knowing where he'd go or how he'd get there. It seemed like forever and a half before she burst out of the apartment building and headed out of the gate, looking frantically around the street in search of him. He didn't have the car keys, so he'd either already hailed a taxi, or he was on foot.

Mia found her answer soon enough when his silhouette crossing onto the main road caught her eye. She jogged to catch up to him, saying his name in vain, as though he'd stop in his tracks and understand her story without hesitation.

"Zeyn, please," she implored as she finally made her way to him. She clutched his forearm and waited for him to turn around before saying, "Let me explain."

" _Kayf asthataet?_ (How could you?)" he seethed without looking at her.

"I—please—"

Continuing in their mother tongue, he said, "Aleppo." He finally looked at her. "You went _home_."

She shook her head, tears streaming down her cheek. "I'm so sorry. Brother, I'm—"

"Don't touch me," he said coldly, devoid of the emotion she showed. "Go back inside."

"Zeyn, I had to do it, you don't unders—"

"You _had_ to?" he asked disbelievingly. "You _had_ to?"

Mia wiped helplessly at her face. "Please, just, give me a chance to explain—"

"You could've died," he murmured. "And you would've been with _mama_ and _papa_."

Mia's resolve broke as she caught a glimpse of what he was envisaging, all three members of his family losing their lives on their homeland, while he was left to weather the heartache. Words weren't made that could express what that felt like.

She couldn't believe the way that the night had unfolded. It didn't seem real that just a while ago, she was wasting time away with Bucky, having thought that every moment 'til sunrise would be theirs. How had things gone so tragically wrong? How could this be the way her brother found out?

" _Agfhir li_."

 _Forgive me,_ she pleaded shakily, just like she'd done when they were children.

He shook his head softly. " _Lays hadhi almara_."

 _Not this time._

X


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes: GUYYYYYYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! Oh my** _ **Lord**_ **, first off, SUCH A BIG THANKYOU FOR YOUR WORDS FROM THE LAST CHAPTER! Hehehhehe I'm sorry for leaving it at a semi-cliffhanger, but I felt like it was the only way to go in that instance. I'm** _ **SO**_ **chuffed that you guys enjoyed it, and I hope that this chapter doesn't disappoint! Hope y'all are doing great, hope your families are thriving and your days are filled with happiness :') ALL THE LOVE IN THE WORLD TO YOU,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 23

 _Silence_.

That's what Mia was craving as she sat near the base of her bed, her eyes red from a night of hushed cries and muted whimpers. To the outside world, there wasn't a sound to be heard. But in her mind, there were sirens and tocsins and voices of disappointment wailing, and _oh_ what she would give to make them stop.

But she couldn't. She supposed this was her punishment for lying to the person she held dearest. The fact that she couldn't drown out the anxiety that rattled her brain was sign enough that what she did was wrong. Her brother hadn't deserved this. He shouldn't have had to visualise his baby sister returning to the war they'd left behind.

And most of all, he shouldn't have found out by someone that wasn't her.

Mia had left the party the previous night in a daze. After she'd parted ways with Zeyn on the street, she'd walked back to the apartment in a strange sense of stupor. She couldn't recall walking up the 14 flights of stairs to get back to Steve's level, nor could she remember when she'd knocked on his door. Her only anchoring moment henceforth had been when Bucky had met her in the corridor, eyes filled with empathy for all that she felt.

He raised a hand to her jaw and forced her gaze his way. "Look at me, sweetheart," he said softly. "It'll be alright."

Mia shook her head, incapable of doing anything but letting her tears flow freely as he brought her in to hold her like she needed to be held. She'd burrowed herself into him to try and feel safer, as though that would somehow change the way things had unfolded. She'd mumbled incoherent words of regret, pleas for things to have been different. None of it made much sense, but the feeling was all too new for her to have understood it any better.

Being the only fully sober company that night, Bucky had driven Mia in her car back to her apartment, while Steve took Mel to hers. Bucky offered to help her make her way up, but she knew that he'd done more than enough for the night. He'd wanted to protest, and she'd wanted to change her mind, but the reality was that she didn't want him to see her in the state she'd be in the minute she walked through her bedroom door. She would crumble, and he didn't need to be there for that.

When Mia checked the apartment at 12:35am, Zeyn was nowhere to be found. She'd waited up for 2 hours in the hopes of catching his re-entry, and when the clock struck 3:00am, she'd finally heard it. She'd opened her door just enough to catch a glimpse of him walking into his room, with the _click_ of his lock turning resounding in her mind. He wanted nothing to do with her for the time being, and she'd just have to accept that.

Mia had somehow managed a few hours of sleep, but when she'd woken up and asked _khaala_ of her brother's whereabouts, she said that he'd left for a day-long appointment with a 'friend from work'. _Khaala_ had noticed the vacant look in Mia's eyes and asked cautiously as to what had happened, but then just wasn't the right time.

So, here she was, dwelling in the disastrous situation that _she'd_ created. Not only had she broken the trust of her brother within a matter of minutes, but she'd also somehow managed to ruin her friend's most joyous celebrations. This was such a momentous occasion for Steve. It was the first birthday he'd had with his oldest comrade since he'd been out of the ice, not to mention a milestone for how far they'd come in the past few months. This should've been _his_ night, an evening of merriment and untainted happiness.

And now, it would forever be remembered as _anything_ but that.

Mia spent the morning in her room, without an appetite and with no intention of leaving her burrow. She hadn't checked her phone in hours, and if it hadn't been for the fact that it rang annoyingly just behind her ear on her bed, she would've continued to ignore its existence.

She answered without looking at the ID, "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," said Sam's voice. "How you holdin' up, kid?"

Mia shut her eyes and shook her head to herself. "I'm…I'm not doin' too well, Sammy."

"I can hear that," he said. "I can also tell that you've been beating yourself up about this for the whole night."

"Yeah, well…" she sniffled. "Can't do much else."

"Yes, you can," Sam said in a voice she _knew_ only came out when his determination eclipsed all else. "You can make things right by talking to him."

Mia disagreed immediately. "There is no way he's gonna listen to a word I have to say right now."

"You don't really believe that, Mia," he said.

She sat up. "Yes, I do. Sam, you didn't see him yesterday. He...I've never, _never_ seen him like that." She pictured his face on the dimly lit path and immediately felt worse for it. "How could I be so fucking stupid?"

"Hey, hey. Listen," he said sternly. "Now isn't the time for that, because you're the only one in this situation that knows the facts. All Zeyn knows is where you went, and not a cent beyond that. That's why you need to tell him."

Mia shook her head insistently. "He's not gonna want to see me."

Sam let out a breath before he replied in a lowered voice. "You know that's not true. Right now, he's processing everything. It's worse because he didn't see it coming, but all he's tryna do is take in the fact that it happened," he said, and in a bid to ease the tension a little, he continued, "Hey, you're the psychologist, baby. You should be telling _me_ this shit."

Mia smiled weakly at the sound of her friend's comforting voice, but there was just so much she was unsure about. Of course she wanted her brother to hear her side of the story, but what if he brushed her away like he had the night before? What if he didn't want to hear it? How would she come back from that kind of rejection?

Mia shut her eyes. "I don't know, Sam."

"Where are you right now?" he asked seriously.

Mia let out a sad laugh. "Same place I've been since last night, on the floor in my room."

Sam spoke clearly and succinctly. "Well, here's what you're about to do. You're gonna take your sorry ass to the shower and get cleaned up, have some food, then go and talk to your brother."

Mia groaned, "But I don't even know where he is. He left this morning and he didn't take the car, he could be anywhere."

"Mia, you know him better than anyone. Put yourself in his shoes. Where would you go if somethin' like this went down?" he asked determinedly.

Mia shook her head before she even gave it a chance. "This isn't Sydney, though. He barely knows DC, he doesn't have any spots that he'd go to clear his head."

Sam persisted, "Well, he didn't just go _nowhere_. C'mon, Mia. Think."

Mia took in a deep breath and tried to do as Sam was saying. She thought back to all the places that they'd visited together, the monuments and the national sites. "I don't know, maybe…maybe he went to the Arboretum, he liked it there." She kept trying. "I guess he could've gone to Nora's, he's been spending a lot of time there lately."

Sam listened intently, and while those options sounded viable, they just didn't seem to fit the situation too well. But he knew that it'd come to her if she just thought hard enough.

They spent a few moments in silence before inspiration struck and Mia shot up from her slouched position. "Oh, my God."

"What? What is it?" asked Sam immediately.

"Of course," she slapped a hand at her forehead. "What the hell is wrong with me, how did I _not_ think of that?"

"Uh, you wanna tell me what you didn't think of?" he asked.

"I know where he is," she said, a sudden spark of nervous energy running through her body as she went to get changed. "Okay, alright, I'm gonna go talk to him."

"There you go, that's it," said Sam, matching her determination. "Don't think about it too much. All you gotta do is explain yourself. He won't like it at first, but he'll understand."

Mia felt a little sick as she pictured herself doing just that, and the several different ways in which he could react. "Oh, my God. What if he… _fuck_ , what if he doesn't though?"

"Mia, hey, listen to me," he steered. "Calm yourself. Don't let your nerves control you right now. Think clearly, like I know you can." Mia breathed steadily and listened as Sam gave her some more comforting ques. "You're not just talking about some stranger, kid. This is the same guy that raised you." He spoke decidedly. "You know him. All you gotta do is have faith in who he is."

And just likely always, Mia's chosen family came through with _exactly_ the words she needed to hear.

X

As Mia parked her car outside of Sal's Gym and headed through its doors, she knew that there was no turning back. There was a small – albeit nagging – voice in her mind that was imploring her to retreat. It was all so much safer in the comfort of her bedroom, allowing self-pity to inundate the situation. But that way, no one would benefit, and wish as she may, nothing would get better.

Mia kept Sam's words on repeat in her mind as she scanned the lobby of the gym.

 _Have faith in who he is_.

Zeyn was many things, but he wasn't unreasonable. He had a temper at times, and it wasn't hard for him to be stubborn. But those attributes paled in comparison to the tentative hope she had for his understanding. At the end of the day, if he had been in her place, would he have done the same thing? Mia hoped that the answer was simple;

In a heartbeat.

As she walked past the line of punching bag stations, she caught a glimpse of _sensai_ Eddie at the end with a student. He was in the middle of demonstrating a complex combination when he saw Mia looking their way, and with the wave of a hand, she started walking.

 _Sensai_ told the student to keep going with his practice as he met her half-way. "I was wondering when you'd come in," he said knowingly.

Mia swallowed. "Is he here?"

He nodded. "Don't know what ya' did, but it must've been bad. First time he's walked in without that goofy ass smile on."

Mia shut her eyes and shook her head. "Yeah, it's…not too good." She looked up at him. "When did he come in?"

"7."

Mia's mouth fell open. "He's been here for _8 hours_?"

 _Sensai_ nodded. "He asked if he could help out some of the fellas with their training camps. He worked with Alexi for a while, then Javier. I think he's onto Diego now." He saw Mia's distress and tapped her on the shoulder. "Don't be too hard on yourself, kid. Whatever it is, I'm sure he'll be okay." He laughed softly. "And besides, the boys love him. He's pushin' 'em, and that's what they need before the tournament."

Mia smiled weakly. "Thanks, coach."

He nodded. "He's in the rings out back."

And with a final comforting hand to her shoulder, _sensai_ left to rejoin his student. Mia walked towards the giant doors that led to the second part of the gym, where 2 large silver-benched stands fell on either side of 4 state-of-the-art fighting rings.

The music was blaring in the background, but that wasn't the only source of noise in the area. Mia saw him in an instant, being that a crowd of about 30 fighters had converged around the ring he was in. He'd been in to the gym a bunch of times during his trip, and all the regulars had come to love him as one of their own. The fact that he was Mia's big brother only added to the mix, being that everyone could finally see where the sweet Australian girl at their _dojo_ had found unmatched adoration for such a violent sport.

She wove her way through the crowd of sweaty fighters who were cheering outside of the ring, trying not to get knocked out by the arms waving excitedly through the air. She knew most of the fellas there, and when they realised it was her, their excitement was only amplified.

"Ey, Mia!" yelled Lucas happily.

"Champ finally here!" said Adesola, the lovable 6'7 Ethiopian in his gorgeously broken English.

Mia smiled at her friend, "Hey, Ade."

" _Mucho tiempo sin verte,_ _niña_ (Long time, no see, girl)," said Rafael coyly, knowing full well that Mia couldn't understand a word.

Mia elbowed the 18-year-old punk lightly before asking over the noise, "What are they doing?"

Rafael leaned in and replied just as loudly, "Ray bet some of the fellas that he could take your boy to the ground within one round, so he tried."

"And?" Mia asked cautiously.

Rafael laughed and chewed away at the chips that were being passed around. "Zeyn clapped his ass in 49 seconds."

Mia shook her head. "Who's he fighting now?"

"Any dumbass that's up for the challenge," he continued with wide eyes, filled to the brim with excitement. "He's gotten through 4 guys already, Mia. _4 fucking guys_."

Mia wanted to bang her head against a brick wall, because it was evident what was happening.

He was in one of _those_ moods, and that was _never_ a good sign.

If Mia could guess right, Zeyn had surpassed the stage where he was shocked and confused about what had happened. He'd had a chance to be upset about it and let sadness resonate through him, but now he'd reached the point where he was in a rage. He was angry about it, as he had every right to be. And just like his little sister, he knew there was no better way to blow off steam than dishing out a few solid hours of training.

The fact that he was quite literally _asking_ for a fight with whoever rose to the challenge, was indication enough that this wouldn't be easy. Mia knew that getting his attention while he was in this frame of mind would be near impossible, that it'd require something _highly_ dramatic.

And so, she guessed, that's exactly what she'd do.

The crowd let out a grimaced _ooh_ in unison as Zeyn landed a finishing blow to the other fighter's jaw, sending him to the ground with 19 seconds to spare. Both physically and mentally, he looked as though he still had another 5 rounds in him, and considering the slightly unhinged look Mia recognised in his eyes, she knew there was more to come.

The other fighters helped the man out of the ring and tossed him an ice pack immediately, knowing that the last thing they needed was for _sensai_ to have to deal with unwarranted injuries. Zeyn ran a towel over his face and drank some water before Jordie ducked into the ring, apparently the MC of the spontaneous event.

"Gentlemen, put your _motherfuckin'_ hands together for the defending champ, our boy _Zeyn_!" yelled Jordie into the plastic-bottle-turned-microphone. The _entire_ gym erupted into a cheer, with everyone getting riled up to see at least _one more_ competitor try to take on their newly crowned in-house champ.

"Alright, alright, settle yo'selves. Now, we've got one more round left before coach comes in here and whoops all our asses, so before then, I need to know which one of y'all has the _cahones_ to go the final round with the champ?" asked Jordie in his best announcer-impression.

A few of the fellas started limbering up while others backed away with her hands already in surrender. Mia watched on as people started psyching up their friends to take the plunge, some of them looking a little more hesitant than others. But even from an unbiased standpoint, it was obvious that the potential competitors wouldn't last longer than half a round with someone of Zeyn's calibre.

It was as Rafael leaned in and made a passing joke about how _Mia_ should have a go with her brother in the ring that a light bulb went off in her head. And all of a sudden, it seemed so simple.

She'd make a deal with him. If she beat him, he'd have to give her a _real_ chance to explain herself. And if she lost, then she'd just have to let him ride out the waves of resentment as they came. It wasn't much of a shot, but it was better than trying futilely to get his attention when he was in a headspace like this.

Mia didn't think twice before she began to shed her light jacket and wove her way towards the front of the ring. Zeyn still hadn't noticed her, but Jordie's face lit up the moment he caught a glimpse of a familiar brunette passing the other fighters.

"Holy _fuck_ , ladies and gentlemen, _we have a contender_ ," he said deafeningly. The others began cheering nonsensically when they saw Mia duck under the ropes, with Zeyn still turned the other way as he put Vaseline on his cuts.

"And our final contender for this evening is none other than our very own, _Miriya 'Baby' Alfiyan_!"

Zeyn couldn't have whipped his head around fast enough when he heard his little sister's name, but sure enough, there she stood. His first instinct was to shake his head resolutely as he walked over to her. "Mia, get outta here."

Mia fastened her hair into a high pony. "I'm not going."

Zeyn clenched his jaw. "This isn't funny."

"I'm not trying to be," she said, a hint of fire beginning to light her stomach. "I'm making you a deal." When Zeyn didn't reply, she continued, "One round. That's it. If I win, then you need to give me a chance and _listen_ to what I have to say."

He scoffed. "Yeah, I'm not doing that."

Instead of cowering in the face of his harshness, Mia shifted a step closer and asked with confidence, "Because I'll win?"

"Because I don't want to hear what you have to say," he said with a matched intensity.

She shook her head. "Then don't lose."

Mia kind of expected him to become even more hostile at her showing a level of disrespect she _never_ usually did, but instead, she was almost taken aback when Zeyn's features relaxed instantly. She hadn't had a lot of sleep so her eyesight could've been fooling her, but the hint of a slightly impressed smile ghosted his lips as he nodded. Maintaining eye contact, he said, "Get back in your corner."

The crowd couldn't hear the conversation that they were having, only the evident tension that resided in the air between them. Mia's heart beat thunderously in her chest as she stretched to limber up, trying her best to drown out the noise around her. This was important, _winning_ was important, because she had to make him see. He mightn't like it, but the truth was the only way out of the mess she'd made.

Jordie cleared his throat and held the crinkled water bottle to his mouth. "Ladies and gents, prepare yourselves for the headlining bout of the evening. In the blue corner, standing at 5'9 and 135 pounds, make some noise for _Miriya 'Baby' Alfiyan_."

The fellas in the crowd hollered and cheered as they clapped in anticipation.

"And in the red corner, standing at 6'0 and 180 pounds, put your hands together for the reigning, defending champ, _Zeyn 'The Train' Alfiyan."_

Mia wanted to laugh as Zeyn looked at Jordie unimpressedly, probably thinking something along the lines of, _Are you fucking kidding me? Zeyn 'The Train'? That's the best you could come up with?_

"Alright folks, the rules are different this round," said Jordie as he beckoned them both from their corners. "No time limit. The first to land 5 strikes on their opponent takes the cake. I want a nice, clean fight. Usual limits, no low blows, no strong head shots. But aside from that, _go ape_."

Mia got tossed a mouth guard from Rafael and put it in as she tightened her pony one last time. Zeyn stood unmovingly in front her, as though fidgeting would somehow disrupt the balance of things. They touched gloves in a customary show of respect, but both of them had a single goal in mind:

 _Don't let the other win._

"3. 2. And," yelled Jordie. " _Fight_."

Luckily for Mia, she'd seen so many of her brother's bouts over the last 22 years that she had a pretty good idea as to what he would go for. Just as she suspected, he gracefully managed his footwork as he inched closer to her, leaning in and out to maintain an illusion of indecision. Mia hovered around the ring and kept her hands at her cheekbones, knowing better than to let her guard down as the moments passed by.

Zeyn was the first one to engage, sending a swift kick to her inner shin that Mia just wasn't quick enough to dodge. The bell sounded as Jordie counted one strike, and falling behind too far wasn't something Mia planned on doing.

 _0-1._

"Whadya think?" asked Hal with a handful of popcorn in his mouth.

Lucas said confidently, "She's gonna merc him."

Zach scoffed. " _Please_. Did you see what he did to Jonny today? Ain't no girl gonna beat that."

"Have you even seen her in the ring before?" asked Lucas.

"Don't have to. She's gonna be out by the third minute."

Pete chimed in, "You're fuckin' kidding me."

"I'm not," said Zach. "You wanna put money on that?"

"I'll do you one better," Lucas smiled a little. "Cleaning duties."

Zach thought about it before nodding. "For a week."

Lucas shook his head. "For a _month_."

All the fellas turned their heads towards the ring and watched on as Zeyn landed a second strike to Mia's knee.

 _0-2._

They should've been more worried than they seemed, but Lucas knew Mia well. Zach, however, took that as affirmation that he'd be free from gym cleaning duties for an entire month. "You're on."

Meanwhile, Mia was ignoring the throbbing beginning in her shin as she fended off an elbow to the jaw and kneed her brother in the stomach. She knew it made an impact when he heaved and fell back a few steps, and she didn't hesitate to throw a head kick that caught his ear.

 _2-2._

To say that Zeyn grew even more agitated was an understatement, as he regained his balance and rolled his shoulders. Mia tried not to be a little disturbed by the slightly empty look in his eyes as he advanced once more, missing a few shots before he managed a _clean_ elbow across the jaw. Not having expected it, Mia winced and stumbled to the floor in a spell of disorientation.

 _2-3._

Mia blinked a few times to see Zeyn walking backwards away from her. The roar of the crowd muted his words, but she knew he was telling her, _demanding_ her to _get back up_. He wasn't done with her yet, and feeling the onset of determination focus her senses, neither was she.

She wiped at the small trail of blood that fell from her lips and leapt forward to engage in their first continuous spar. She threw punches and he blocked them, until one finally clipped his jaw and made him whip his head back violently.

 _3-3._

Mia was gliding on her feet and was about to attempt a fourth strike when he ducked out of the way, managing a firm kick to her stomach, sending her back a few paces.

 _3-4._

"See—What the fuck did I tell you, man?" gloated Zach. "4 down already, there's no coming back from that."

Pete and Lucas watched on anxiously from one side of the crowd while Ade and Rafael spectated from the other. Sure, she wasn't winning at the moment, and yes, he only had to land one more strike to win. But there was a strange determination in Mia that day, more so than usual. And somehow, they clung to the hope that she'd prove their faith to be true.

Zeyn breathed in and out heavily, preparing himself to finish off his sister's attempts at explaining herself to him. He didn't want to hear any of it, but within the next few moments, he'd see that he mightn't have much of a choice.

It was as he went to deliver a finishing uppercut to the chin that Mia side-stepped him and dodged the attack, bracing her core for the spinning heel kick she'd clip him with. It hit a little lower than she'd intended and got his already sensitive brow bone, making it bleed instantly. The blood trickled down to his dampened lashes but he paid no mind to it as he saw only red.

 _4-4._

And it was as though they both understood exactly which switch had flicked in their minds. Both Mia and Zeyn stopped their continual bouncing and gliding, simply coming to a halt where they stood. Mia's breathing slowed down as she saw Zeyn lower his hands. The crowd's roar fell into the background as their eyes appraised one another, both _daring_ the other to make the first move.

Because apparently, neither one of them could recall the rules at that moment.

Mia's eyes widened as Zeyn charged at her, a haymaker set to mar her face had she not ducked out of the way. He wiled a knee that would've hit her square in the ribs if she hadn't blocked it, and the sheer _anger_ packed behind his strikes was becoming more and more evident as she fended them off. Two punches, a kick, a flying knee and a pointed elbow, and he _still_ wasn't letting up. The blood on Zeyn's brow had smeared onto part of his face, only adding to the crazed look he was doing too well at pulling off. And through each failed shot at his little sister, his annoyance was becoming clearer.

It was as he managed to back her into the ring's corner that Mia finally found words to speak over the crowd's noise. "Zeyn—stop—"

He persisted throughout her pleas, not even quite registering that he was fighting someone 50 pounds lighter than him, with half the reach. All he channelled was the pain of her betrayal, the resounding truth that she'd lied to him…

…and the reality that she'd let him down.

Mia felt herself beginning to tire as his hits persisted, each punch and elbow feeling more reckless than the one that preceded it. With her back firmly indented against the ropes, she tried once more to get him to desist whatever had brought on this barrage of carelessness.

"What are— _Zeyn—_ "

But Mia wasn't that lucky. She noticed his arms beginning to falter ever so slightly due to the onset of fatigue, and she knew she'd have to seize the moment then and there if she had a chance of getting out uninjured, leave alone winning.

In a last-ditch attempt, Mia used her weight push her brother at his shoulders to disbalance him, then leant down to her ankles and cut his knees from under him in one swift movement. Now both on the ground, she winced as he accidentally – or intentionally – kicked her sharply in the abdomen, leaving her disoriented for a moment. It was enough time for him to crawl towards her and try to finish the fight with a rear-naked choke, but Mia's muscle memory kicked in when she needed it most, letting her execute a trick she'd have to thank Nat for some time.

Hoisting Zeyn's extended arm up into the air, Mia managed to hook a leg over his shoulder and used their body weight to send both their backs to the ground. Her legs twisted and locked around his arm as she pulled his hand up, securing him in an arm-bar that forced a broken scream from his mouth. Mia would've kept him in that position for as long as it took him to tap out had it not been for the doors swinging open and a not-so-happy _sensai_ Eddie walking their way.

"—the fuck is going on here?" he asked the fellas in the crowd. He saw past them to the scene unfolding in the ring, and he knew immediately that this wasn't something the others needed to witness any further. "Alright boys, party's over. Get the fuck outta here before I made you scrub the toilets again, ya' understand me?"

That was enough incentive to send _everyone_ in the crowd back to the main gym, all but forgetting about the outcome of the fight. Mia had loosened her hold on Zeyn the moment she'd heard _sensai_ 's voice, and within moments, they were both back on their feet to stand sheepishly before their coach.

 _Sensai_ stepped under the ropes to appraise both of their bloodied features. He sighed knowingly and shook his head. "What the fuck is going on, kids?"

Neither one of them answered, with Zeyn looking defeatedly at the mat and Mia trying to find a way to stop herself from losing her _cool_ in the middle of her gym.

 _Sensai_ tossed Mia the towel on his shoulder as he asked, "You wanna tell me, or should I let my imagination run wild?"

Mia swallowed and wiped at the blood she could feel on her chin. Hesitantly, she sneaked a glance at her big brother, only to see sheer pain in his eyes and features. This wasn't what he wanted, and it sure as hell wasn't what either of them needed. And somehow, even though she'd managed to 'win', forcing him to hear her explanation didn't feel right at all. Not when he looked like he'd never felt more broken.

Mia willed her eyes to stop shining as she said, "Training round, _sensai_."

He raised his brows. "Training round?" Mia nodded once, to which he asked, "And should I ask who bested the other?"

Zeyn clenched his jaw, ready to hear words of victory from his little sister. But, he supposed, he'd have to accept it. She won fair and square, as they say.

Mia licked her lips. "Not me." Zeyn's features contorted in confusion, but he didn't dare look at her.

And whether she was saying these next words to _sensai_ or to Zeyn…

… _well,_ that's up to you.

"I let you down." She watched as a single tear fell and dampened the mat at her feet. She shook her head, still not looking at either person. "I'm sorry."

And there wasn't another word she could say without letting loose her pent up sorrows, so instead of waiting around for _either_ of them to respond, she tossed the towel at the stool in the corner and ducked her way out of the ring.

She didn't look back as she left the gym, which is why she couldn't see the pain trapped in the gaze that watched on after her. His little sister, his _dounya_ (world), walking away with the Earth's burdens on her shoulders.

How did they possibly get here?

X

Mia drove home that afternoon on autopilot, with her busted lip still tinged red and a small bruise forming on her temple. Before, she'd only felt mentally drained and battered. But now, through an idiotic attempt at making her brother see reason, her body had been left beaten in every sense of the word, and that too, only a 48 hours before her graduation.

She went home and said an early goodnight to _khaala_ , who'd taken one look at Mia and wanted to blast her ear off and find out what had happened that'd left her in such a state. But when Mia gave her the 'just another day at training' excuse and locked herself in her room, _khaala_ knew better than to push her. Their relationship was still fresh in this new chapter of their lives, but _khaala_ had still lived with Mia for 12 years prior to it, and in that time, she'd gained an understanding as to what to do in situations like this.

Meanwhile, across town and shaking his head at himself for his stupidity, Zeyn was gearing up to go and retrieve his wallet from the place he'd left it at the previous night. In his haste to leave Steve's apartment, he'd forgotten it in their lounge room, and the events of the next day hadn't warranted its use, until 9pm rolled around and he realised his credit card and phone were all he had on him.

Now in an old rugby sweater and some sweats, Zeyn got out of the Uber in front of Steve and Bucky's apartment building and made his way to the gate. Someone else was leaving, so he managed to dodge the awkward buzzer call, going straight to the elevator and up to their level.

He didn't even know if they'd be home, but after the way the past 24 hours had unfolded, he didn't have the energy to care. His body was so unbelievably _drained_ , having not stopped for a break since he'd gotten to the gym in the morning. He'd gone from training with one person to sparring with another, then doing drills with a few classes before finally being challenged to go for a round with Ray. Somehow, and he couldn't for the _life_ of him remember why, that one round had turned into a mini-tournament, with 4 other unfamiliar fighters having a go with him. And by the time his unexpected bout with Mia had begun, he didn't know what strength was driving his viciousness in the ring.

The situation they were in was fucked up, plain and simple. There was a part of him – a very _prominent_ part – that wanted nothing to do with her at the moment. He wanted to take the first flight back to Sydney and recuperate, drown out the noise inside his head and go another year without seeing her.

But then there was the part hidden away somewhere between his heart and ribs that wanted nothing more than to hug her and calm her and tell her that no matter what had happened, they were okay. He wanted to hear every last detail about what it'd been like for her to go back to the soil they belonged to, and how she'd felt when she'd taken her first steps on it. Their fight in the afternoon had left him sobered, and as the broken look on her face stuck permanently in his mind, he couldn't shake a niggling thought that he was somehow letting her down by acting the way he was.

As he made his way out of the elevator, Zeyn took a deep breath and knocked on the door, partially expecting no one to answer. A few moments went by and he was just about to turn his back on it when it fell open, with Bucky on the other end.

Zeyn sent a weak smile his way. "What's up, Jesus?" he asked softly.

Bucky took in Zeyn's bruised face and his strange attire. "What the hell happened?"

Zeyn swallowed. "Long day."

Without another thought, Bucky opened the door wider so he could come in, shutting it behind him as he turned a few of the lights on.

"I, uh, I'm sorry to rock up like this," mumbled Zeyn. "Left my wallet here."

Bucky nodded. "I would've bought it over."

Zeyn shook his head. "I needed the distraction."

They both dawdled awkwardly in the living room and didn't quite know what to say to the other. It was this strange air of uncertainty, an inability to understand what would be okay to say. Instead, Bucky picked up the wallet from the side table he'd left it on and handed it to him.

"It feels lighter," Zeyn tried to joke.

Bucky laughed half-heartedly. "I'd blame Wilson."

Zeyn smiled softly. "No Cap tonight?"

"Him and Barton had some things to do," said Bucky, not realising that the mention of Clint's name might put salt on an already stinging wound.

Zeyn swallowed and ran a hand through his ruffled hair. "Well, uh, I guess I'll leave you to it, then."

But try as he may, Bucky couldn't let things end like that.

"You should ice that," he said, pointing vaguely at Zeyn's jaw. "Wait up."

And without giving him the chance to refuse, Bucky walked to the kitchen and got out an ice pack from their stock of dozens, handing it over to Zeyn as he resignedly took a seat on one of their stools. He winced as he climbed onto it, his arm not feeling quite right since Mia had held him in a bar on the ground.

Bucky noticed and asked, "Shoulder?" Zeyn nodded, and Bucky reached in to get a gel pack that would hopefully help ease the pain a little.

It was only as Zeyn went to take the packs from Bucky that he finally noticed he wasn't wearing a glove. The glimmer of his hand was only slightly visible under their dim lighting, but it was there nonetheless. And if he noticed the pang of hurt Zeyn felt as he recalled Bucky's past once more, he didn't show it.

Now together in an unforced silence, the two men tossed up which way to take the conversation forward. On the one hand, Bucky could leave the issue to Zeyn and Mia, and not worry about taking part in something that didn't concern him.

Only, the more he thought about it, the more he knew that wasn't true. Mia being involved with the team _at all_ was related to him in the first place. If she hadn't recognised him on the night they met at the restaurant, who's to say whether Steve and Nat would've maintained any semblance of trust in who she was? She'd just have been another waitress they'd come across, who _happened_ to have met Sam a few times in the process.

But, no. She'd vowed to keep his secret that night, regardless of how tumultuous their first encounter had been. And that sparked something in the _whole_ team. From there on out, Mia had become a constant in their lives. And despite the fact that their current situation wasn't ideal, everything that led up to it had been necessary.

Not wanting to debate it with himself any longer, Bucky disturbed the silence. "She didn't wanna do it at first." Zeyn looked up at him and listened intently as he continued. "Sam asked her, told her that it was something important, that we needed someone on the ground that could blend in. But," he shook his head. "She said she couldn't do it."

Zeyn wet his lips, feeling as though he hadn't _really_ spoken in a lifetime. "Then why did she?"

Bucky paused. "Because she knew how many of her people would die if she didn't."

And somehow, those words stopped every sense Zeyn felt in his body. Pain, anger, all of it was replaced by untainted shock. "What?"

Bucky swallowed. "I went to her tournament to talk to her. I didn't know anything about her beyond what was in her file." He shook her head. "But it didn't take more than a minute to know she's made of something else. And when I told her why we were going, why we _had_ to get it right…nothing could've stopped her." He paused. "Not even you."

Zeyn let out a ragged breath as he stared blankly at the counter. "She could've died." His voice lowered. "And then I'd have nothing. Again."

Bucky looked on with unguarded understanding, knowing that reality all too well. "We wouldn't have let that happen."

"She wasn't your responsibility," he said solemnly. "I should've been there with her. We could've done it together, whatever it was." He let out a steadying breath. "She had to see everything by herself. Had to be there and relive it. That's…" he shook his head. "It should've been _us_."

Bucky fell silent, seeing parallel after parallel between Mia and Zeyn's relationship, and his own with Steve. Though Steve never voiced these things, Bucky knew the ingrained guilt he felt at not having gone after his friend once he fell from the hill-topped train. He knew in the way Steve would sometimes look at him, everything about him speaking of regret. He carried too many _if only_ 's upon his shoulders, the kind of laments only a brother could feel.

"You couldn't have stopped it," said Bucky truthfully. "I know you wanted to be at her side, but don't let her feel like she failed you." Zeyn looked up at him as he said, "If you knew what she did, how many people she saved…you'd be so proud."

"It's not her I'm not proud of," he admitted mostly to himself. "She's always had that, more courage than anyone I've known." He paused. "But she should've told me."

"Would you've let her go?" asked Bucky quietly.

"Never," he said, meeting Bucky's eyes. "And if you loved her then like you do now, neither would you."

Bucky's heart just about dropped and fell through the floor down to Level 3, because that _word_ , that dangerous idea had floated innocently through his thoughts for a while, but he'd never had the courage – or the insanity – to entertain its existence. How a feeling so pure and righteous could enter the mind of someone as ruined as him, Bucky didn't know.

…But the man in front of him couldn't have been more right.

Zeyn noticed the partly-horrified look on Bucky's face and consoled quietly, "Don't worry, she's too blind to see it."

Bucky didn't know whether to laugh or punch something or pull out every last tooth of his in an effort to _calm down_. But this realisation, as profound and honest as it was, wasn't what needed to be addressed at that moment. Zeyn looked as though there were about a million and one things that he needed to sort through, and Bucky felt a responsibility to help in whichever way he could.

"She had a nightmare while we were there," Bucky said quietly. "She started screamin' in her sleep, didn't stop 'til I woke her up. And she…she told me what happened to your parents." Zeyn's brows furrowed in a vain attempt to keep his emotions at bay. Bucky shook his head softly, "She wanted to make sure no kid had to relive what she'd seen, and she knew that wouldn't have happened if she'd stayed."

Zeyn swallowed. "But if something had gone wrong—"

"She knew you'd understand better than anyone," said Bucky, recalling the conversation he'd had with Mia on their first night in Aleppo. "And…she's stronger than either one of us want her to be."

Zeyn let his eyes fall shut as he let out a breath he felt like he'd been holding in for a day and a bit. Shaking his head, he asked, "I've been a real dick, haven't I?"

Bucky shook his head. "I don't think she thinks that. But," he suggested, "Let her explain herself. I think…I think it'll be good. For both of you."

"She already tried doing that today," said Zeyn as he pointed to his busted jaw.

Bucky's eyes widened. " _Mia_?"

Zeyn nodded. "Fought 3 middleweights and I get my ass handed to me by my little sister." He looked at him, a little unimpressed. "I guess I have you to thank for all that new _Wing Chun_ shit she's learned?"

Bucky cracked a small smile. "Nah, that's Widow."

Zeyn ran a tired hand over his eyes. "Of- _fucking_ -course. Seriously, lik—I don't see her for a few months, and her entire life becomes a fucking movie." He continued mindlessly, "And the thing I'm _least_ worried about is that a 100-year-old guy's in love with her, I mean, _what the fuck_?"

Bucky looked around instinctively, even though there was no one but them there. "Come—C'mon man." He tried to make it better. "I'm not—I'm _not_ —I—"

Zeyn nursed his jaw once again with the ice pack as he said, "If you ain't in love with her by now, then you're wasting her time, Jesus." He looked up at him, that same protective glimmer cast over his eyes. "Are you wasting her time?"

The answer came to Bucky before he even had the time to think about it. "No."

"Can you see your life without her?" asked Zeyn seriously.

Bucky shook his head softly. "I don't want to."

Zeyn smile feebly, because in a way, he knew this was the first part of him giving his sister over to another man. He swallowed and said lightly, "Then you have your answer."

And just like that, both men sat in Steve's apartment with a lot to think about. They both stayed at the kitchen counter for what seemed like forever, thoughts clouded of the same girl and how she'd made a difference in both of their lives. Zeyn had his work cut out for him, with the means of moving forward starting by going home and being with his family.

But for Bucky, this was uncharted territory. He couldn't decide whether he'd always known or if Zeyn's insinuation had brought on the realisation, but it had struck him nonetheless.

There was a girl out there, and there wasn't a word but 'love' that could describe all that he felt for her.

In his mind, every reason why it was true floated to the surface. It was her strength, her character, her unwavering hope to better the lives of people around her. There was a charm that hovered about her presence, and it wasn't something one usually found from people in this day and age. It was other-timely, almost as though she belonged everywhere and nowhere, all at once. Words spoken through her voice resounded more than others did, laughter from her lips was as infectious as poets wrote it to be.

And her face… _oh Heavens_ , was she lovely.

From the pink in her bronzed cheek to the sepia in her eyes, there wasn't a flaw to be found among her scars and imperfections alike. To him, she was all he'd wanted and never dared to ask for, but now that he had her – as much as she had allowed – there was no hiding from this truth.

انه الحب _._

 _Iinna alhabu._

It was love.

X

When Zeyn got home at 11 that night, it was to see Mia seated in the lounge with a bandaid across her temple and an icepack taped around her knee. Her eyes were withdrawn, staring at nothing in particular on the ground as she sat unmovingly. She didn't hear him come in due to the slight ringing still in her ears from the afternoon's session.

Zeyn hung up the keys and was about to go straight to his room, but seeing her alone and in such distress wasn't a sight he could bear after his talk with Bucky. He walked behind the couch she sat on and chanced a hand on her shoulder, expecting her to turn around immediately and begin explaining herself.

Instead, she flinched ever so slightly, but didn't turn to look him in the eyes. She lowered her head further, awaiting whatever it was he had to say and willing to take it.

Zeyn swallowed and said quietly, "Get some sleep, kid."

Mia shut her eyes and controlled her quivering chin. "Please don't leave."

Zeyn took his hand off of her shoulder and sighed softly. "We'll talk about this tomorrow, Mia."

"I was just trying to help," she said brokenly. "I never meant to hurt you."

"Mia—" he tried to interrupt.

"I just wanted to do what was right," she confessed through salty tears. "And if you knew, you wouldn't have let me go—"

"Mia," he said in a softer still voice. "Please. Not tonight."

Mia saw him take a few steps away in her peripheral view, and regardless of whether he wanted to hear it or not, there was one final truth she had to admit.

"I just wanted to make them proud," she murmured, the image of her mother in her favourite red dress and her father in his half-mooned glasses imprinted in her mind.

Zeyn turned before leaving for good, knowing that he meant what he was about to say.

"You did."

X

When the next day rolled around, it took a frenzied phone call from Mel to remind Mia that her graduation was in less than 24 hours. Throughout the craziness of the past few days, the event was something that had _completely_ slipped Mia's mind, leading to last-minute nerves about what she'd be wearing, how she'd be getting there, and wondering what the _hell_ a college graduation actually consisted of.

Zeyn stayed cooped up in his room for most of the day, the bruises on his face and legs purpling, and the throbbing pain in his head not planning on dying down any time soon. It wasn't often that he pushed his body to such levels of exertion, but now that it'd happened, he would just have to deal with it.

 _Khaala_ spent the day sorting out her clothes and cooking up a storm, as well as making some mysterious phone calls out on the balcony that Mia was completely oblivious to. She was hard at work and knew better than to meddle in her niece and nephew's problems, which left her with more than enough time to sort out some secret plans she'd been devising for a while.

Dinnertime came all too quickly, and Mia expected Zeyn to skip out on it again in his current mood. But much to her surprise, he walked out to join them, still looking decidedly decrepit, but tenfold better than the night before.

She didn't know what frame of mind he was in, so she figured it best to let him steer the conversation – or lack thereof – at the dinner table. If he wanted to talk to her, she'd oblige wholeheartedly. But if he was still rightfully reeling from the madness that had unfolded, then the least she could do was give him his space.

"Ah, how are you feeling, _habibi_?" asked _khaala_.

He smiled a little. "This _kofte_ 's gonna have me right in a bit."

She shook her head as she touched a hand to the blue on his face, ignoring his whiny _khaalaaa_ 's. "How many times are you going to let these barbaric men beat your face before you stop this nonsense?" she _tsk_ 'd in Arabic.

Zeyn looked at Mia, a smirk ghosting his lips as he said, "It's not the guys I gotta be worried about it."

 _Khaala_ didn't catch on, but Mia felt a wave of relief at his easiness, sending a small smile his way and hoping that it would continue as such.

They tucked in and enjoyed the food their aunt had prepared, making small talk about nothing in particular. It wasn't until a few minutes went by that Zeyn struck up a conversation, and _man_ it felt relieving.

"When's the ceremony start tomorrow?" he asked Mia.

She swallowed her bite. "Around 9:00, I think. We've gotta be there by 8:00, though."

He nodded and took another bite. "You gonna carpool with Mel?"

She tried not to laugh as she recalled her _whirlwind_ of a conversation with her friend earlier on. "Yeah, Richy's gonna pick both of us up from here."

 _Khaala_ furrowed her brows. "Richy? What is Richy?"

"A guy from school," she informed.

Zeyn slowed down his chewing. "That's…a really random person to have driving you to your graduation."

Mia snickered softly as she remembered that no one _actually_ knew that Mel and Richy were _kind of_ a thing. "No, he's, uh…well, him and Mel are…I mean, they haven't gone on a date yet 'cos she just got back, but…yeah, they're a thing."

Instead of looking pleased for Mia's friend, _khaala_ turned to Zeyn and whacked him over the head firmly. He _oww_ 'd in shock as she said, "You see? All the good girls are going to be taken by the time you wake up and settle down."

Zeyn's eyes widened at her unexpected attack. " _Khaala_ , what the hell—"

"Even _Miriya_ found somebody," she said animatedly in Arabic. "We didn't think that would happen _at all_ , let alone before you."

Mia dropped her spoon. "Hey, what do you mean—"

 _Khaala_ annoyedly spooned the rice on her plate. "—just a few grandchildren, is that too much to ask—" she mumbled to herself.

"Here we go," said Zeyn tiredly.

" _Khaala_ , it's okay, you'll get your grandchildren—" Mia tried to console.

"He hasn't even proposed to you yet, Miriya," she complained.

Mia's eyes were about to fall out of their sockets because _how the hell did this conversation even come about?_ " _Khaala_ , not everyone wants to get married within a few months of knowing each other."

"What is he waiting for?" she asked incredulously. "You are fertile, so is he, what's the problem—"

Mia held her head in her hands. " _Oh, my God._ "

"—your eggs won't be around forever—"

"I'm going to kill myself."

Zeyn was watching the interaction with a growing sense of amusement, trying to stifle his laughter at his little sister's embarrassment and his aunt's reproductive insistence. The room was filled with noise and chatter, and for a moment, fleeting as it was, nothing else quite mattered. Zeyn felt as though he was there only to observe the scene, to be given a chance to appreciate all that he had.

His family was safe. They were healthy and in good spirits, and regardless of how devastated he'd felt for the last few days, he couldn't deny that things were going pretty perfect for a guy like him. He was in a beautiful city, in a comfortable house that felt like a home. To his right was a woman his relationship had never been better with, a person he'd once upon a time written off as a poison in his life. And to his left sat someone he'd never see as anything but a baby sister, regardless of how many years passed. She was alive and well, and through all the odds, had managed to survive every hardship life burdened her with.

Though it mightn't seem like it all the time, God hadn't given him a single thing to complain about.

The eventful meal wound down and _khaala_ left early for her beauty sleep while Mia cleaned up. Once the dishes were stacked and the table was wiped, she went to fix the living room a little and iced her knee one more time before she headed to bed. Sat on her favourite sofa and in her comfiest pyjamas, she didn't even notice that Zeyn had come 'round to join her with a handful of her favourite toffees.

"How's it holdin' up?" he asked gesturing to her knee.

Mia looked up and smiled wearily. "It felt a lot better before you kicked right through it."

He replied, "So did my face."

She winced a little. "Yeah, I'm…sorry about that." She looked down at his hand. "Those for me?"

"They sure as fuck aren't for me," he said as he tossed them to her. "Don't know how you eat this shit."

"It's the stuff of champions," she said lightly.

Zeyn nodded once and took a seat next to her. Neither one of them spoke as Mia fiddled with the wrapper of her candy, but Zeyn was formulating a way to swallow his pride and say what needed to be said.

"If it'd been me," he began quietly. "If you found out one day that I'd left you here and gone back…would you have reacted differently?"

Mia swallowed, knowing that this was a no-brainer. "No."

"Would you be angry?" he asked, looking at her knee as opposed to her face.

"Yes."

"Hurt?"

She nodded.

He swallowed. "Would you hate me?"

She shut her eyes and pained at such a thought. "Never."

"Would you forgive me?" he asked with eyes shining.

" _Dayimaan_."

 _Always._

Slowly, he brought his hand and placed into on top of hers. "You're my life, kid. I lose you…" he shook his head. "There's nothing left."

The two remained silent for what seemed like an age, accepting the emotions that flowed steadily through them, the relief at an overdue conversation.

Mia looked up at her big brother. " _'Iinna asif._ "

 _I'm so sorry._

He held her hand a little tighter. "Not as sorry as I am that I couldn't be there with you. But," he shrugged softly, "Pressure's on you to tell a good story."

Mia smiled feebly, appreciating his efforts to make her feel at ease. She shook her head. "I wouldn't know where to start."

He let go of her hand and put a cushion behind his back as he said, "Maybe the part where your boyfriend came to your tournament to recruit you."

Mia's mouth fell open in shock. "How did you…"

"I was at his place yesterday," he said easily.

Mia furrowed her brows in suspicion. "You…were?"

Zeyn didn't reply for a few _long_ moments, and Mia almost thought that he'd fallen asleep with his eyes open. But then he said in a voice just above a whisper, "He's a good guy, Mia."

She felt a blush creep onto her cheeks. "Yeah, I know."

He looked at her seriously and warned, "I mean it. Don't fuck this up."

Mia was slightly taken aback by his persistence on a topic that was usually a _little_ tabooed. "I…I won't." She began to asked confusedly, "Why are you—"

"He cares about you a whole lot more than you care about yourself," he surmised. "You don't find that too often."

Mia asked tentatively, "Did he…say something?"

Zeyn shook his head. "He didn't have to."

Mia watched on as her brother's face fell slightly contemplative, and she had _no fucking clue_ why that was the case.

 _Boy_ , was she oblivious.

She cleared her throat and tried to regain his attention by asking, "Uh, you're probably tired, we can do this some other time—"

"I wanna know what happened from the beginning," he declared. "The target, the mission, _Syria_ …all of it."

She wet her lips, knowing that he mightn't like some of the memories she'd recall from her journey, one that felt like a lifetime ago. "Everything?"

He nodded. "Everything."

X


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes: *pokes head out from trashcan because I am** _ **garbage**_ *** HIIIIIII BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE! Okay, well, for starters, my utmost apologies to the lot of you for not updating in 32 years, but FULL-TIME WORK + UNI DO NOT GO TOGETHER! The last month has been the busiest of the year, and writing this chapter just** _ **wasn't**_ **working out for me, so I'm TERRIBLY sorry, my loves! That being said, I'm sosoosososos glad I've finally finished it, and can have you guys read it now, because WHOO HOOOO the boys are** _ **backkkkkk**_ **!**

 **Once again, the BIGGEST thank you for the kind words on the last chapter, they made my absolute** _ **life**_ **, and you guys are amazing, mannnnnnn. To Ann, GURLL why are you reading fics at a wedding?! That is some badass shit right there, I'd be so freaked out that someone would start reading over my shoulder and then everyone would know that online books are my only passion :'))))) anyway, thank you SOO much for what you said, you made my week hun! Xxx**

 **To Mysticserenity, thank you SOOOOO MUCH for your always-kind reviews, they mean the absolute world to me and I'm just so happy you get a bit of happiness from this story :'))))))) ANDDDDD to RoxanneRay, GURLLL you caught me! I like slipping in little references and I DIEEE when people understand them, it honestly makes my day hehehe! That being said, the 'if I lose you' quote wasn't from anything that I can put my finger on, but I'm sure someone else has said it before me! Again, you're a doll and your words are the death of me. So THANKS FOR THE MURDER xxxxx**

 **Karina001, your summaries each chapter are literally my favourite things, and I read it in a kind of television voice, so it's sorta like "Last Week on 'A New War'…" and it kills me, so THANKYOU so much for sticking around xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **That being said, for any** _ **Peaky Blinders**_ **fans out there, there might be one or two references in here that you catch onto, and if you're a crazed fanatic like I am, I hope it makes you a little happy! Okay, wow, this is longer than the Declaration of Independence, but HOPE YOU HAVE FUN READING THIS :'))) Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 24

It was the first time in a _long_ time that Mia had felt the sweetness of an always welcome calm; a clear conscience. Not only had she _finally_ lucked the chance to detail everything that had happened, but she got to share it with the one person who would truly understand its significance. For the first hour or so, Zeyn had simply listened and wrapped his head around the fact that his sister had travelled to Aleppo to help carry out such a feat. The company she'd gone with was no less impressive, and as she began telling him about all that had transpired, he found himself lost in a story that seemed _almost_ too daft to be true.

They both stifled their laughter when Mia remembered how _strange_ her relationship with Bucky had been back then, with neither one of them quite knowing how to deal with the other. It'd all seemed so novel, as though nothing could ever possibly become of their dynamic. But a few months on and here she was, blushing and bumbling about the same fella' to her big brother, glowing with an inexplicable warmth at the very mention of all that he was.

She eventually got around to the part where they'd attended the Governor's party, and how that night had unfolded. There were some moments that tripped her up a little, with chills running down her spine at the thought of what kind of evil had resided in that mansion, and how the wicked had been celebrated so lavishly. Zeyn grew noticeably quieter as Mia told him about her interactions with the delegates, and minor details about how they'd _entertained_ her. But she made sure to gloss over the unnecessary moments, and rather, skipped to the parts she'd absent-mindedly enjoyed.

She'd danced with Bucky for the first and only time that evening, and one thought of him in his fitted _thobe_ was enough to set Mia off into a gush of flustered and unnecessary details about how handsome he'd looked. Her brother would've _obviously_ preferred if she'd fast-forwarded a little, but the sparkle in her eyes and blushed smile was enough to make him enjoy the recollection nonetheless.

She went on to recount the unforgettable evening she'd spent in the city centre, dancing with the people that remained of a broken town. The bonfires and the children and the songs; every last detail had frozen itself in her memory, and retelling it lifted her mood like nothing else. She told Zeyn about Azim and Samira, along with the monumental help they'd given the team throughout their stay.

"That name sounds familiar," said Zeyn.

"What? Azim?" asked Mia. "We've known heaps of Azim's before."

He shook his head. "No, it's not that. It's…the way you're describing him. And his sister, too."

Mia thought back to his face, the only man who been at her aid through every challenge in Aleppo. "Well, he didn't know who I was. He didn't recognise _mama_ or _papa_ 's names, either."

Zeyn nodded slowly. "Anyway, it's just a thought. But," he smiled softly. "Sounds like he helped you guys a lot."

Mia smiled fondly at the memory of Azim. "He did. Wouldn't have been able to get into the party without him, or find out the things we did. Godsent, he was."

Zeyn paused. "So, what happened after that?"

Mia swallowed. "We, uh, we came back to headquarters after the night in the city. The mission was the next day, so a lot of it was just getting ready for it. But we had some time to spare, so…Steve asked if I wanted to go to our house." She felt the need to clarify, "I wouldn't have gone if he hadn't mentioned it, y'know." She shrugged softly, "I didn't wanna see it without you there."

Zeyn wet his lips and asked softly. "What was it like?"

And the visual of Mia walking down her old street, past her old home resurfaced before her eyes. The endless rubble beneath her feet and the chalk-stained walls of what was once her sanctuary, all came flooding back. And she remembered how she felt; detached and sad and confused. Because, after all that it had survived, it was no longer her home.

"Nothing like I imagined it to be," she said simply. "I thought…I thought I'd feel something. Like maybe I'd want to go back and stay, like I'd never want to leave.. But the moment I saw it, I knew it wasn't like that." She looked up at him. "All the things that made it home weren't there anymore."

He nodded once, understanding what she meant even if he hadn't quite lived it. "Was it intact?"

She shook her head solemnly. "It was barely standing upright. The walls were caved in and half the roof was missing." She continued, "It was unrecognisable."

Zeyn felt a little boyish for what he was about to ask, but the thing in question had always been a memory, a recollection he held dear to his heart. "Did you see the _shajarah zeytun_?"

Mia's face fell as she recalled what had become of Zeyn's beloved olive tree, strangely, the one thing that he was most attached to in their old home. It had been a towering old thing, and had served as Mia and Zeyn's personalised playground for several years. They'd taken plenty of tumbles off of it and suffered a few close brushes with death at its expense, but Zeyn never failed to remember it with fondness.

Mia shook her head. "It's gone, _akhi_."

It was silly, really, for a grown man to feel sadness at the loss of something like an olive tree. But there was so much significance attached to it, and not just because it was the country's national symbol. He supposed it represented a lot of what had become of his city. What had once been something beautiful and full of life, had withered away and would remain only in the memories of those who beheld it.

What an unfortunate reality it was.

"Zeyn?" Mia asked as she noted the distant look in his eyes.

He cleared his throat and rehashed, "Right, so, what happened next?"

She swallowed and saw past his attempt to put her at ease. "We can do this another time."

"No," he said instantly. "No, I…We need to do it now. I need to know." He repeated in a softer voice, "I need to know."

And _that_ , Mia understood completely. She decided to move past the revisit to their childhood home, and began to tread on slightly safer territory. "A few hours later, we got word that there was heat towards the Jordanian border, some bombs went off, I think. So, we had to go about changing our exit strategy at the last minute, and," Mia smiled a little, "That's where Mel came in."

The pair of siblings spent the next hour going through the story with a deep fascination. It was great for Mia in that she was able to recount things with a _clear_ mindset for the first time since they'd happened, and Zeyn was soaking up everything he could get. The good, and especially the bad.

There was unreserved anguish on Zeyn's face when Mia talked about the men who entered her hiding place that night. He looked as though he wanted to rid the very memory of such an experience from her existence, just so she'd never have to relive it. Her voice broke every now and then, and she'd take a few seconds to steady herself when she needed to, but if anything, that night was living proof that she was many things.

She was a person who survives, a woman who defeats, and a living example that weakness resided only in the heart. She could've died on the cold pavement that night and still been all of those things, and as time went on, she understood that more and more.

And her brother, as he would fail to hide, was unquestionably proud of her. She'd done so much, and all of it in a place she had no business being in. The tale began to wind down as she recalled her time in Turkey with the team, as well as Mel's relatives. Telling him everything in such detail felt easy, but most of all, it felt _right_. He deserved to know, and regardless of the disastrous way in which he'd found out, she was eternally grateful that they could share in these moments together.

X

Considering the monumental hype that usually surrounded college graduations, Mia couldn't deny that she was a little underwhelmed by the ceremony itself. Maybe it was because she'd only been at Georgetown for a year, or perhaps it was the fact that every important friend in her life was there to stay for good, so it really didn't feel like she was about to leave too many people behind.

Richy had picked her and Mel up bright and early in the morning, and after the long night of remembrance she'd had, waking up at all had been a chore on its own. Nevertheless, she'd gotten ready in record time – though most of it had been used to try and hide the yellowing bruise on her jaw – and had spent the car ride absolutely _fawning_ over the relationship Mel and Richy had grown into over the past while.

Though they hadn't even gone on a real date yet, there was an unquestionable chemistry between them that was so palpable, it almost seemed scripted. She was his match, plain and simple. He'd make a quip, and she'd reply in an instant, which was a far cry from how nervous she'd seemed around him when they were getting to know each other. But that was Mel, a wisecrack if ever there was one. All she needed was time to get comfortable with a person, and from then on, it was anyone's game.

The ceremony had included all the expected mind-numbingly boring formalities, and Mia just about fell asleep 3 times during the Chancellor's address. Accepting her certificate and watching her friends do the same had just about been the only standout of the morning, with her aunt and brother cheering proudly from the stands as her name got called from the Honour roll.

After the speeches _finally_ drew to a close, the hat toss spiked everyone's moods into overdrive and served as the perfect way to finish off the rigorous education they'd somehow managed to pay for. But while most people hurried towards the professional photographers to take family photos, Mia had other things in mind.

"Bastards finished all the brownies," she said as she glared angrily at her buzzing peers. Naturally, she'd ditched the toss as quick as she could to make her way to the food mezzanine, but apparently, so had 300 other students. With a damper on her spirits and a hellishly sad oatmeal muffin in hand, Mia walked around aimlessly amid the crowd and soaked it in. Here she was at the same place she'd frequented most for the past year, and it was all coming to an end.

There was no more education in her foreseeable future, and she was grateful for that, but she'd miss it. The frantic last-minute assignments, the late-night McDonald's runs with her classmates, the shittier-than-thou food from the cafeteria; all of it had a place in her heart that wasn't dismissible. But what excited her was that now, she could do _anything_. She could go anywhere, achieve what she wanted and _finally_ work towards making a difference like she'd been hoping to.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed _khaala_ and Zeyn making their way towards her from the grassy entrance, a knowing look on her aunt's face. "You left the family photo line for _food_?" she chided in Arabic.

Mia handed the foul muffin to her aunt. "This abomination isn't what I'd call _food_." She looked toward her brother's bruised cheek. "It's looking worse."

He looked at her unimpressedly. "Yeah, well, if I could cover it with makeup like you then I would've. But I've gotten a few concerned looks from some cute ladies, so," he shrugged. "It's not all bad."

Mia rolled her eyes and looked back to her aunt. "So, did you like the ceremony?"

She nodded. "It was lovely, except that old man who spoke for too long."

"…That was the Mayor of DC, _khaala_."

"He could've been the Prince of Canada for all I care, he wouldn't stop talking!" she reasoned animatedly. "So many big words, for what?!"

Mia laughed in a most un-ladylike manner and tossed the muffin in her hand as she said, "Well, you're not wrong there." Her eyes fell to the other side of the courtyard as she _finally_ saw Mel in the crowd, stumbling upon Richy and locked in conversation.

"There she is," said Richy with a smile that was a little too big to contain as he watched Mel find her way back to him on Georgetown's luscious lawns. "Thought you bolted first chance you got."

Mel wanted to come up with something witty and whimsical like she was so good at, but with him standing there clad in his freshly ironed gown and hair ruffled after the hat toss, her brain wasn't computing too much. "Can't run in heels this ridiculous."

He trailed his eyes down to her legs that lay partially hidden behind her gown. "I love ridiculous things," he said with a small smirk.

Mel rolled her eyes and turned 37 shades redder. " _Lord_." She looked around to see if she could spot her partner in crime amongst the hundreds of people surrounding them. "Have you seen Mia since the toss?"

He shook his head. "Nah, haven't seen her family either. By the way, is that her aunt?"

Mel nodded. "Sure is. I know, what a babe."

Richy blinked dumbly. "She looks like her sister, it's fucking insane."

Mel laughed at his endearing Scottish pronunciation of cusses. "Is it fookin' insane, is it?" she teased.

Richy raised his brows in mock surprise. "Are you takin' the mickey?" Mel nodded with a bashful smile, to which he said, "Good luck meeting my ma' with that kinda cheek."

He pretended to walk away just so she'd reached for his arm and laugh 'til her eyes closed like she always did. "Sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She drew her hand away and conceded, "Alright, 'cos of that, you can choose where we're going tonight."

Richy's brows rose in shock. "You're letting me pick where we'll go on our first date?" He looked at her sceptically. "Is this some kind of joke?"

Mel shook her head. "Not at all. Call it… _compromising_."

He huffed out a breath. "We've not even been on a date and you're makin' us sound like a 70-year-old couple."

Mel laughed as she shrugged. "We'll get there."

And then she realised that she was _basically_ insinuating that they'd get married and have a family and grow old together and _dear Lord, save me from this humiliation—_

"Hey, losers," said Mia with a smile. "Mel, you okay?"

Mel simply nodded and went to go stand near _khaala_ in silence.

"How're you guys feeling, now that you're all graduated and independent?" asked Zeyn with a smirk.

"Feel like I should be getting more than a piece of paper for a $50,000 degree," said Richy solemnly.

Zeyn clapped him on the shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, man. Just wait 'til your missus here starts makin' demands. $50,000 is gonna be peanuts to an elephant, my friend."

Mel grew redder than before – if that was even possible – and would've made about 9370 excuses about why she'd never put him through that, when Arya came 'round to join the group.

"Oh my God, _here_ you guys are. I've been looking all over for y'all," she said, clearly relieved. "Do you want me to give you your room keys now or when you get to the hotel?"

Mia, Richy and Mel all looked at each other confusedly, because _what the hell was she talking about_?

"What…what are you talking about, hun?" asked Mia.

Arya's mouth fell open. "Oh, my God. Don't tell me you didn't get the notification."

"Notification?" asked Richy.

She nodded disbelievingly. " _Yeah_ , the invite to the hotel we're all staying at tonight. The Regents? My dad's hotel? No?"

Mia's mouth fell open, because she'd known Arya's family was rich, but not _Regents_ rich. "Your…your dad _owns_ The Regents?"

She nodded and laughed a little. "Yeah, it's pretty swell. Anyway, he blocked out 25 suites for us this weekend, as well as the Phoenix Hall. And, I'm not supposed to say, but," she leaned in conspiratorially. "We've got the rooftop, too. All pools included."

Mia's brain wasn't computing most of what Arya was saying, and the look on her face told everyone as much. "I'm…so, you're giving us…each a room?"

"Is that even a _question_? You guys were the only thing that made this shithole bearable, we all deserve the celebration, babe."

Mia laughed disbelievingly and asked, "Wow, okay, so...when do we have to be there?"

She grabbed out a few address cards from her clutch and gave them to each of her friends. "The party starts at 8:00, so come by 10:00. There'll be food, champagne, dancing, it'll be a riot. And just say your name at the concierge, they'll give you your room key."

Words couldn't describe the overwhelming love all three of them felt for Arya in that moment, because regardless of the fact that she was easily one of the most popular girls in their cohort, she never wavered in her generosity. They all thanked her profusely and exchanged looks of disbelief after she left, because given that they hadn't planned too much for their graduation weekend, they had a feeling things were going to get a little wild.

X

"Are you _sure_ you're okay with me going?" asked Mia for the 34th time.

This time, _khaala_ was the one to roll her eyes and nudge her towards the front door of her apartment. "You've worked hard, Miriya. This is your time to enjoy yourself," she said reassuringly.

"I know, but…I _just_ graduated. We could go do something instead, maybe grab dinner—"

" _Miriya_ , go! Before I change my mind, _habibti,_ " she said as she retreated to the kitchen.

Mia laughed softly and took her packed duffel bag from Zeyn's hand, who was looking at her knowingly. "I know what this party's gonna be like, and all the normal rules apply. No drugs. No streaking. And _definitely_ , no boys in your room."

Mia smiled softly. "Are you kidding me?"

Zeyn's face fell. "Do I _look_ like I'm kidding?" He pointed a finger in her direction. "If Winter boy comes around, you tell him he can't pass the room's threshold. Not. An. Inch." He glared at her, "No inch of _anything_ attached to him is allowed in your room."

Mia clapped a hand over her eyes. "Can you stop existing for, like, _5 minutes_. God, _why_?"

Zeyn continued in a softer voice so his aunt didn't hear from the other room. "If you come back in this house impregnated, someone's gonna be banished from this family. And it won't be him, 'cos I actually really like the guy."

Mia blinked slowly. "Are you…seriously gonna choose him over your own sister?"

He nodded solemnly. "I'll do what I have to."

"Here's some _kofte_ in case you get hungry at night," interrupted _khaala_. "And here are some potato chips, chocolate sticks, _helva_ and crackers for the trip," she shoved in Mia's hands.

Mia couldn't help but laugh, because you could take the aunt out of Arabia, but the Arabia ain't comin' out of the aunt.

" _Khaala,_ The Regents is only half an hour away."

 _Khaala_ nodded understandingly. "In that case, I should pack some rice as well, shouldn't I?"

Mia shook her head frantically. "No, _no_ , this is…Jesus, this is way more than enough for one person."

 _Khaala_ 's face fell as she asked concernedly, "Will Bucky not be joining you?"

Mia shook her head. "No, he's got night shifts for the next few days."

"Nonsense," said _khaala_ with a wave of her hand and in harsh Arabic. "It is your graduation, he should be celebrating with you. Give me his number, _I'll_ call him."

Zeyn snickered mindlessly as the scene unfolded while Mia palmed her aunt away from her phone. "No, no, no, okay, I'll call him, I'll call him. I'll ask him to come, don't worry."

"Good," said a content _khaala_. "Well, what are you waiting around for, quick, quick, away with you!"

Mia couldn't say much else when her aunt and brother forced her out of the door and into the hallway, leaving her with her bags in hand and a rushed goodbye. When she thought about it, it almost seemed like the two of them were in a great hurry to be rid of her, as though they had some secretive business of their own to tend to. But that outlandish idea was pushed to the back of her mind as she walked towards the elevator and thought of whether or not to call Bucky.

He'd sent her a message saying that he'd be in the neighbouring state of Pennsylvania for the next few days with Steve, and that his mobile would be switched off for most of the time. Sure, it'd taken the wind out of her sails a little, but she'd been so pre-occupied with Zeyn and tending to her injuries that the reality of not seeing him had only really set in now.

Deciding better than to disturb him during an important part of his 'retreat', she made her way to her car and readied herself for the drive. If he could've made it, she was sure he would have. But there would be some other time for them to celebrate what was, for her, a milestone achievement.

X 

"Oh, my… _Lord_ ," said Mia as she cracked open the door to her crib for the weekend. "This is...a freakin' _palace_."

The suite was, in fact, part of The Regents' assortment of Crown suites, complete with a master bedroom that was half the size of Mia's entire apartment, a bathroom that could easily fit 20 people in it, and a gorgeous balcony that saw an overview of the hotel grounds. Mia walked in with Mel following closely behind her, not quite understanding how Arya's father booked out all these rooms for freshly-graduated college kids, completely _free of charge._

"Is Arya's dad in the Peace Corps, or does he just like being one of the _most generous people_ in the Northern Hemisphere?" asked Mel absent-mindedly.

"I don't know, but I'm sending a couple of extra prayers out for him tonight," said Mia. She dropped her bag at the base of her king-sized bed and simply soaked in the suite for a few moments before asking, "Did you and Richy get the keys for your ones?"

Mel nodded, and by the look on Mia's face, she knew exactly what she was about to say.

"Y'know, it'd probably be better if you gave up one of your rooms for some of the other students. No real need having two when one's gonna be empty the whole night, y'know?" asked Mia with a devilish smile.

"You're hilarious. Really, I'm in stitches," Mel deadpanned.

"Hey, it's not like youse haven't waited long enough. Jesus, it's been more than a year," Mia offered.

"…We haven't even been on a date yet."

Mia groaned. "Wow, you're acting like having a meal together is a rite to passage when it comes to ' _mattress dancing'_."

Mel blinked slowly. "…Please leave." She quickly remembered, " _Actually_ , that reminds me. Don't even think about ditching the party to spend time with Binky Barnes the whole night."

"Ugh, I _wish_ I was dating Binky Barnes," said Mia with a distant look in her eye. When all she got was a slightly revolted expression from Mel, she explained, "Look, he has this certain…charm about him, y'know?"

"…He's a cartoon aardvark."

"Actually, he's a bulldog—Look, I don't expect you to understand, it's a childhood thing," shrugged Mia.

"Right," said Mel, utterly concerned at this point. "Well, as long as you don't bail, fantasize about whichever animal you want."

Mia turned around and unpacked a few things from her bag. "You don't have to worry about that. Bucky's in Pennsylvania right now, won't be back until Tuesday," said Mia a little glumly. "And _then_ , he's heading to New York for God knows how long and I'm trying not to be too bummed out about it because I know he has no other choice, but with everything that happened with Zeyn and then the ceremony, I just…I feel like I haven't seen him in forever."

Mel's face sobered a little. "Wait, does…does he even know it's your graduation today?"

"I think you might've mentioned it at the party, but I didn't tell him. I just _knew_ he'd try to find a way to stay and I didn't want him bailing on Steve." She shrugged and laughed to cover her slight disappointment. "And besides, it's not like he could've just rocked up to the ceremony anyway. I'm kinda glad he didn't have to sit through the Mayor's speech, he's suffered enough."

Mel laughed to comfort her, but knew in that instant that she had to do something. Spotting Mia's phone on the bed behind her, she decided that now was a good a time as ever to _help a brotha' out_. "Hey, do you mind if I text Richy from your phone? Mine's flat."

"Yeah, sure." Mia went over to the curtains and peeked out of them, taking note of the overcast weather that's been predicted. " _Yes,_ it looks like it's gonna storm tonight," said Mia with a child-like smile. "Alright, I'm gonna see if I can find Arya, _man_ she's really outdone herself."

And with that, Mia went off to explore the hotel while Mel got to work. She unlocked her phone, went into her messages and wrote out something she hoped would make a difference. Mia would probably kill her if her plan ended up working, but she knew it'd be worth it. Now, all they had to do was wait.

X

 _ **Philadelphia, Pennsylvania**_

"You'd think Fury would have a better place to lay low than _Philly_ ," said Sam as he, Steve and Bucky walked back to the car they'd parked in a graffiti-ridden tunnel.

"What've you got against Philly?" asked Steve.

"I hate the Eagles," Sam murmured.

Bucky had been a little quieter than usual in the meeting they'd had with Fury, because aside from the serious topic they'd been discussing, he'd been battling a nagging thought all day that something important was going down, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember what it was.

"I'm forgetting something," he said mostly to himself.

Steve being Steve, misunderstood what he meant and halted in his spot. Clutching a hearty hand to Bucky's shoulder, he said earnestly, "Your memories are only gonna come back with time, Buck. I know it's hard but you just gotta be patient."

Bucky furrowed his brows. "Wha—No, not my memor—I'm talking about _today_. I'm…I'm missing something."

Steve took his hand away and said confusedly, "Oh."

"You skip birth control this morning?" quipped Sam.

"You and your 12 kids would know all about that, wouldn't you?" provoked Bucky.

"Ey, fuck you. It ain't my fault the ladies can't resist some _dark chocolate_ —"

"Alright, alright, stand down," said Steve, used to the spats his teammates got into on a near-daily basis by now. It was healthy, though. And judging by the smug look on Bucky's face almost every time it finished, he knew it was good for him. "What are you forgetting?"

Bucky let out a breath. "I don't know, I—"

And then his phone buzzed.

He thought it was a message from Mia, but the minute he read it, the light bulb went off in his head. Letting out a string of murmured cusses, Bucky shook his head. " _Fuck_ , I knew it. It was Mia's graduation this morning."

Both Sam and Steve let out grimaced _ooh_ 's as they realised the repercussions of forgetting a girlfriend's _graduation_. "Boy, you done _fucked up_ ," sassed Sam.

"Did she message you?" asked Steve.

"No, it was Mel. Said their friend set them up at some hotel for the night," said Bucky. He shut his eyes and was about to call and apologise when Sam interjected.

"You need to get your ass back to DC."

"Agreed," said Steve.

When Sam saw Bucky hesitating, he stepped forward and lay the scenario out for him. "Okay, you're fuckin' ancient, so you don't know what college parties are like. But if she's staying in a hotel for the weekend, lettin' loose, lookin' all Gucci'd up with 300 dudes finna' smash," he let out a low whistle. "You best believe fellas gonna be spittin' game."

Bucky blinked slowly and looked to Steve hopelessly. "…What the fuck did he just say?"

"I think…he means…there's gonna be…other suitors…at the game…?"

Sam clutched a hand to his eyes and let out a deep breath. "Listen, fool. This is a big moment for her, _huge_. She's been at this degree for 4 years. Don't fuck it up by missing out on it."

Bucky nodded slightly, but remembered the task Fury had given them to carry out. "What about recon?"

"We'll handle it," said Sam resolutely. "Besides, your stupid ass would just slow us down."

Bucky gave him an unimpressed look, but the hidden truth was that he'd been warming up to Wilson more and more as the weeks went by. It was still an 80% hate and 20% not-hate relationship, but there were things about him that Bucky was beginning to appreciate. It was obvious that he'd once been a military man, and despite his brashness and brazen antics, Sam was one of the main catalysts in Bucky's recovery.

But of course, he'd never tell _him_ that.

"If you leave now, you can get there by 11," said Steve. He handed him the keys, "Here, take the car. We'll use one of Fury's."

Bucky nodded. "Where's The Regent?"

Sam's eyes widened. "She's staying at _The Regent_?" Bucky nodded, and Sam said, "Boy, you can _not_ go there looking like that."

Bucky looked down at his run-of-the-mill pants and oversized jacket, complete with a cap to match. "What's wrong with this?"

"You look like you're about to go stick-up the joint with your raggedy ass. Look, swing by your place and wear something suave, man. Your girl's gonna be all dolled up, you've gotta meet a high standard," said Sam smartly.

Bucky huffed, but annoyedly saw reason in what he was saying. Without another moment's hesitation, he said his farewell to the fellas and set off for his 4-hour journey back to DC. This was such a milestone for her, and the fact that he'd almost missed out on in entirely was bad enough. Somehow, he decided, he'd have to make it up to her.

And that's exactly what he did.

X

"What are you drinking?"

Mia looked up at the second guy that'd tried to chat her up in the last half an hour. At least he'd had the decency to _ask_ what she preferred, unlike the first guy who'd ordered the most expensive shot on the menu and turned a little murderous when she told him she didn't drink.

"I'm good, thank you," she said nicely.

"Oh, c'mon. Pretty girl like you should have a poison of her choice," the brunette graduate insisted. "Let me guess. Uh, Dirty Martini?"

Mia tried again to dispel his eagerness. "I'm sorry, I'm…actually waiting for…someone."

The man's face fell slightly, but he recovered quick enough for her not to notice too much. "Right, you're… _waiting for someone_?" She nodded, and thankfully, he bowed out graciously. "Well, I hope he comes soon, then."

The brunette sent her a small smile and walked away with his hands in his pockets, back towards the crowd of mingling and dancing graduates. Everyone looked absolutely _smashing_ , with most girls wearing cocktail dresses of some sort, and the fellas having donned formal pants and shirts.

So far, the night had been rather lovely. The atmosphere was light and easy, and the relief in the air was obvious. Music blared in the hall and was only a little quieter near the bar where Mia was currently sat after an hour's worth of socialising with her peers. They'd laughed and reminisced, and every chance she got, she thanked Arya for all that she'd done for her and her classmates.

When Mia removed herself from the dance floor, she'd gone to take refuge at the bar from the pain that was standing in 4 inch stilettos. Seated and comfortable, she'd checked her phone and tried to distract herself, but knew that it was coming to the time of night where the party affect started to wear off. It's that moment where one begins to feel rather lonesome in a room filled to the brim with people. And without sounding like too much of a Debbie Downer, she knew that she'd rather be sharing it with just a couple of people who mattered.

Mia eventually spotted Mel on the other side of the hall with Richy, seated on one of the plush sofas and listening whole-heartedly to a story he was telling. It brought a smile to her face and warmth to her heart to know that her best friend had finally, _finally_ gotten what she'd wanted. And judging by the dream-like look in her eyes, this was just the beginning.

"You've got every brand of booze in front of you, and you're drinking _Coke_?"

Mia turned around and felt a smile curl instantly at her lips when she saw Nicolás, a friend – and past crush – who'd been in a few of her classes. "Oh, my God! Nicolás," she leaned up to give him a hug and offered the seat next to her. "How are you?"

"I'm good, I'm good," he said with a charming smile. The Spaniard stood at 6'2 and was a friendly giant in more ways than one. He was traditionally handsome, with doe-brown eyes and bronze skin. And over the months that Mia had known him, he was one of the few people she knew to be genuinely kind. "Please, let me get you something to drink."

She shook her head, "No, really, I'm fine." She showed him her half-full glass, "Coke's not done yet."

He nodded and asked the bartender for a drink of his own before turning back to her. "How've you been, Mia?"

"Good, I've been good. I'm glad we got some time off before graduation, y'know."

He nodded. "Yeah, me too." He took a sip of his drink and said, "I'm just glad I never have to sit through one of Walker's banana bread rants ever again."

Mia laughed softly and knew all too well what he meant. "I learnt more about the baking industry than militant trauma the entire semester."

"Agreed," he laughed. "Hate to say it, but…kinda gonna miss it though. Y'know, the whole college thing."

Mia nodded as she absent-mindedly touched her glass. "Yeah, I guess so. But, I'm glad it's done. No more deadlines and assessments and things we're never gonna use in real life. I mean, don't get me wrong, I know it's not gonna be a walk in the park. But, I don't know, at least whatever happens, it'll be on _our_ watch."

She looked over at Nicolás only to find him watching her intently. She would've thought nothing of it, but the moment he swallowed and spoke his next sentence, she felt her stomach knot.

"I actually…I kinda have a confession to make," he said with a nervous laugh over the loud music playing in the background.

Mia swallowed, having an inkling as to where this conversation was going and unsure whether she wanted to hear it through. "Yeah?"

"I actually tried to catch you after our 104 exam, but I couldn't find you. Then we had our break, so, y'know…" he ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. "What I'm getting at is that, I've been tryna…work up the nerve to, y'know, ask you out to dinner sometime."

Mia's mouth fell slightly open, as she tried to think of the easiest way to let him down, not having expected that in the least. "Nicolás, I—"

"Look, believe me, I get it. You wanna move on from college and all, but…I don't know, you just—you seem like a cool girl, Mia. You always have. And I feel stupid for not saying anything earlier, but…I don't wanna let the chance slip by again." He noted the way she'd fallen silent and tried instead to fill it with an explanation. "I wasn't even gonna come tonight, y'know. But I asked Arya if you'd be here, and she said yes. So, I figured I should at least give it a shot, try my luck before we leave for good."

Mia looked just beyond Nicolás' shoulder to see Arya sending her a discreet 'thumbs up', obviously not having known that Mia was already with someone. But she just couldn't understand why this was happening _now_ , after dozens of classes spent with him and the countless times she'd wished he'd _actually_ said something.

"C'mon, it'll be great," he persisted. "We could go to the movies, or I could make you some dinner." He smiled jokingly and said, "I cook a pretty mean ravioli."

She swallowed and tried to ignore the hopeful look on his face. "Nicolás, that's really sweet of you, but…I'm, I'm actually with…someone."

He leaned in closer to try to hear her over the blaring music. "I didn't catch that."

Mia repeated, "I'm…I'm with someone."

He leaned back and felt his mouth fall open a little. "Oh. But…but Arya said y—"

"Arya doesn't know him," she said a little apologetically. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you come here for nothing."

He laughed humourlessly and nodded his head. "No, that's…that's not a problem. I'm…that's great." He smiled in an attempt to put her at ease, "I'm really happy for you."

Mia felt a little pained at his expression, hating that she had to reject someone at all. He slumped back in his chair and looked at his drink blankly, and that mixed in with the deafening music and indistinct chatter of her peers was more than enough to make Mia's breathing slightly shallow. All of a sudden, it felt as though her body had gone into sensory overload, feeling too much all at once.

She wanted to isolate herself for disappointing someone that she was rather fond off, someone who'd mustered the courage to ask her something. She wanted to close herself off from the music and the screaming and the hundreds of faces. She needed to breathe, and simply had to find a place where she could centre her thoughts.

Mia grabbed her clutch and didn't think twice when she mumbled a 'sorry' and walked towards the exit. There were more people in the hallway that she didn't pay much mind to, and when she saw a staircase at the end of the corridor, her feet simply led the way. Being that they were already on one of the highest floors, there wasn't much walking left to do to reach the last level. And something told her that a rooftop and some moonlight was all she needed right about now.

As soon as she opened the doors to the sprawling roof, Mia was hit with a gust of Summer air that calmed her almost instantly. Inhaling and exhaling deliberately, she walked her high-heeled self to the railings that guarded the 23rd level, overlooking a view of the city that was as breath-taking as it was invigorating. The lights that decorated the buildings and the water that reflected the storm-ready night sky was all she'd imagined of DC, but had never been up high enough to see. The Moon hid half of her beauty behind grey storm clouds that night, but She was no less luminous because of it.

Feeling her nerves die down after whatever _that_ was, Mia closed her eyes and simply thought for a moment. What if Nicolás had asked her out after their exams had finished, before Bucky had even really been a part of her life. What if they'd been going steady for a while, and he'd given her all the things she'd wanted; a comfortable relationship, a supportive friendship, a predictable life. They could've done things that ordinary people did, like find regular jobs after college and work the 9-5 routine, with each other to come home to. They could've had weekends off and every Saturday morning in the same city. Someone like him could give her the picket-fenced house she'd once had, with the quaint living room and suburbia surrounding it. It'd be easy and safe, and maybe, _just maybe_ , Mia could've gotten the normalcy she'd always longed for.

But as her thoughts wandered the way they always did, she knew that that just wasn't true. And after spending the better part of the year with the man she had, she knew in her heart of hearts that there wasn't a single thing she'd change. The difficulty and unpredictability that came with standing by someone like him, the pain that she felt at knowing she couldn't cure his heartache; it felt insignificant when she thought of all that he was.

He'd become her sanctuary. His volatility wasn't something that made him a liability; it made him irreplaceable. The past that crippled him was also what made him so indestructible, even in his moments of weakness. And though she was hopeful, she wasn't naïve. There were things about Bucky that Mia _knew_ would keep her from ever reverting back to a quiet life, but that detail was eclipsed by everything that he'd given her. He added sincerity to feelings she never thought she'd feel; cherished, adored…

…And as daft as it was, maybe, even lov—

"Now, what's a pretty girl like you doin' alone on a night like this?" asked an all-too familiar voice.

Mia froze, sure that her ears were somehow deceiving her. But when she turned around and saw a tall brunette with his gloved hands in his pockets, relief flooded every inch of the nervousness she'd felt only moments ago.

"Bucky?" she whispered mostly to herself. He was standing a few feet away, but no sooner had she closed the distance and wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs dangling off of the ground as he picked her up and held her close. "Oh, my God."

He burrowed his face into the crook of her neck and closed his eyes, grateful she was under his touch once more. They stayed like that for moments on end, neither one wanting to pull away. When Mia finally grazed the ground with her feet, he settled her back down and looked at her as though he saw right through her.

She began stammering to try and understand _how_ he'd known where she was, and why he wasn't miles away like he was supposed to be, but he spoke for her. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked as his thumb grazed her cheek.

Mia swallowed. "I was going to, I swear, but then…you had to go to Pennsylvania and I just…really didn't wanna be the reason you couldn't," she said honestly.

He let out a breath. "At least I would've known. This was so big for you, so important."

She laughed softly. "It actually wasn't all that great. The ceremony was just a bunch of old people quoting another bunch of dead guys." A smirk tugged at her lips as she said, "You would've fit right in, Pops."

His eyes widened a little as she bounced coyly on her feet. "You tryna be smart? Now that you're all educated and clever."

Mia smiled chummily. "You bet I am." She shook her head and played with the zip on his collarless jacket. "How did you know I was here?"

"Intuition," he said seriously. "We've got a thing for rooftops."

Mia quirked a brow. "It was Mel, wasn't it?" At his proceeding sheepish expression, Mia looked up at the sky and groaned. " _Bucky_ ," she whined. "You shouldn't have come, the guys need you."

"Why, you don't want me here?" he teased. When she gave him _a look_ in response, he shook his head and said, "I came because I could. Don't worry, they understood why."

Mia let out a sigh and nodded reluctantly, noticing his eyes fall to her figure as she did. Indulgent as he was, he didn't stop himself from taking a step back and saying lowly, "Let me get a look at you."

Mia felt her cheeks begin to burn _immediately_ as she suddenly felt 9,345 times more conscious. "Oh, _my God_."

She covered her eyes in a bid to hide her inexplicable embarrassment at being the centre of his undivided attention, but he wasn't having any of it. "C'mon, none of that. Take 'em away," he said as he brought her hands back down to her sides. "That's better."

Mia looked to the floor at her feet while he trailed his eyes along the blush pink dress she'd worn. Made of silk and mockingly flimsy, its thin straps held cloth that finished at her shins, with two long slits on the inner side of her thighs. Peaking out from underneath was skin he'd only ever seen in glimpses, but had thought about more than was dignified. Her legs were only accentuated by the heels she traipsed in, and when he saw her as a whole, both inwardly and outwardly, a realisation engulfed every fibre in his being:

Through lands travelled and centuries past, there had never been a woman like her.

"If you don't say something soon, I think my arteries are gonna combust," she said under his intense eye, with nothing but the sound of a brewing storm backgrounding them.

That was prompt enough for him to step closer, maintaining eye contact as he did. He stopped just a foot away from her and let his eyes drop to her lips fleetingly, as though he had every right to. She waited with baited breath for him to speak, to say something, _anything_.

And when he leaned in a little closer, that's exactly what he did.

"You think those shoes come in my size?"

Mia let out a laugh at once, nudging him playfully and lulling her head to the side. She spoke through broken laughter, "I hate you."

"I love you."

And it was as though the air had fallen still. Neither one of them breathed too much in the moments that followed, but Mia was aware enough to stumble out a silent, "What?"

Bucky swallowed, having had a feeling that this day was coming the moment he'd spoken to Zeyn about it. He knew there wasn't any other way around it. He'd said it. And now, he had to tell her exactly why he never planned on apologising for it.

"You're it, Mia," he said softly. "You're all there is."

As if it was even possible, Mia's eyes grew even wider. Her lips fell open in a way that showed how utterly bemused she was, no part of her having expected this to have been the way the night ended. Nevertheless, an ever-cynical probe in her heart and mind told her to set him free, that there was still time for him to take it back.

"I'll break your heart," she warned with watery baby-browns.

He looked down at her, wearing a smile twined with sadness. "Already broken."

And at its core, that's all it was. Two people who'd been burdened with the horrors of old age in their youth. They'd both lost so much, and had given even more. But through those hardships and endless nights came a new reckoning, a chance to entrust themselves and all that they were into the hands of another.

All they had to do was take that step.

"Mia?" he asked with unsure eyes.

She wet her pink lips and felt the slightest tug at them when she spoke, the truth coming easily to her, perhaps easier than it ever had. "I'm yours."

And like clockwork, their lips met in a relieved haste, a feeling that was too grand for words inked by Man. This ran deeper, much deeper. In a strange way, it wasn't something that one could describe, much less verbalise. You simply had to experience it, had to let it course through your body while the person under your fingertips did the same. It was the sort of thing people believed in reincarnation for, to have a taste of its sweetness in any one of their lives on Earth. And for our hero and heroine, it seemed as though the stars and Moon which loomed over them had favoured their fate.

Mia's hand found its way to the collar of Bucky's jacket as he parted for air, both of them caught between wanting to laugh hysterically and scream and stomp their feet 'til their soles wore off. Mia's lips were upturned and her eyes were closed, while Bucky drank in the moment for what it was; an absolute fucking miracle.

He could've stayed there for all the moments that followed, but the feeling of droplets on his forehead made both of them look up to the sky above them. The summer storm had been brewing throughout the day, and it seemed as though it was finally ready to rain down upon the city, because within _literal seconds_ , the falling water gained unbelievable traction.

" _Oh, my God_ ," squealed Mia in delight.

"Jesus," said Bucky as he squinted his eyes. "C'mon, you're getting soaked."

Mia tugged on his hand as he tried to hurry them back to the doors. "No, c'mon, let's stay," she pleaded as laughter fell from her lips. The rain stuck long locks of hair around her face, and it was too perfect a chance for him to let go to waste. He sloppily ran his gloved hand over her cheek, ridding it of hair and lingering too long as she smiled like the world's most fortunate fool.

That was, until she remembered that the dress was a rental.

"Oh, _shit, shit, shit_ ," chanted Mia as she clutched his arm and charmingly tripped her way to the rooftop doors. They bustled through the entrance and heard their laughs echo through the stairwell as they sullied to the elevator. Bucky stopped her from tripping three times as she tried and failed to gather her dress in her hands, her blurry vision and hysterical laughter not helping the situation much.

As they stepped onto the lift, Bucky leaned against the wall while Mia clung to him for balance. "Where are you headed, doll?" he asked like an elevator operator from the '30s.

Through a squinted smile, she replied, "Level 16, good sir."

He pushed the button for her floor and was little stronger than putty when she played with his damp hair, brushing it away from his forehead. With her that close and under the lighting of the elevator, he could see the freckles on her cheeks and the water that stuck to her lashes. She was a vision, an _absolute_ vision, and he was prepared to use the privacy of the lift to his advantage as he leaned down to her.

But just as the doors were about to shut, an elderly man used his walking stick to wedge them open. Mia and Bucky sprung apart instantly as the fella' and his wife entered the lift, trying to seem nonchalant as the old couple looked on in mild-horror.

Unnecessarily feeling like she should explain why she was soaked to the core, Mia smiled nervously and said, "Looks like Thor's back in town." When the couple simply seemed more horrified, she elaborated quietly, "Y'know, 'cos of the…thunder and…lightning."

Deciding to ignore the juveniles entirely, the couple wordlessly turned around and clicked a button, waiting in silence for their floor to arrive so they could leave the company of the deranged youths. Mia and Bucky stood side by side at the back of the lift, silently cursing their present company for ruining the moment. But given all that had transpired, Mia felt a strange stroke of courageous as she looked up at him, swooning inwardly at his dishevelled state. Eventually, Bucky could feel her eyes on him, so he looked down to meet her gaze.

And when blue met brown, something _switched_.

The tension that surrounded them had been palpable for some time now, but that night, after _that_ confession, it was different. They were both ready, and they felt it. And regardless of the many times distractions and interruptions had spoiled their plans in the past, Mia and Bucky knew _exactly_ how the night would end.

When Mia's level came, she walked wordlessly out of the elevator, leading him to her room as though she knew he'd follow. Even in the empty hallway, he trailed a few steps behind her, wanting her to guide whatever it was they were doing. She found her passkey in her clutch and with a small look over her shoulder, opened the door to her room. Her hips swayed tauntingly as she turned the light on and put her clutch on the coffee table, waiting for him to make his way in.

He only walked a few steps into her room, all of him wanting desperately proceed further and live out the things he'd desired for quite some time. But he waited, waited for her to say something that would assure him it was okay.

When she saw his hesitance, Mia took slow, deliberate steps towards him and said softly, "Y'know, my brother said not to let any men into my room." She smirked a little. "Especially not you."

"That's smart." Bucky paused. "You should listen to him."

Now less than a step away, Mia maintained eye contact as she simply leaned up on her tippy-toes and averted his lips altogether, rather, placing a lingering kiss at the corner of his mouth. She drew away and revelled in his shock as she said lowly, "Shut the door."

Wordlessly, Bucky did as she said and locked it for good measure, waiting once more for her next move. She walked into the master bedroom and heard his footsteps follow as she only switched on a lamp. Undeniably feeling like a young lad on the verge of his first _magical_ experience, Bucky walked over the room's threshold and stood in the middle of it, watching as she undid her hoop earrings and set them on the table. The next thing to go were her shoes, and when she turned around to face him with her hands flirting at the straps of her dress, the entire concept of 'needing to breathe in order to survive' escaped Bucky's mind completely.

When Mia's fingers finally slipped the top of her silk dress down to reveal bare skin in its place, for a moment, she felt nerves begin to fester in her mind. But it took her _consciously_ reminding herself that the man in front of her wasn't just a regular anybody, to let confidence take precedence. It was the first time he'd be seeing her in a way that was so human, so incredibly untainted. And when his eyes flitted to the parts she normally kept veiled and hidden, she believed _wholeheartedly_ that she'd never feel safer with anyone else.

With her dress around her ankles and her body covered only by a scrap of underwear, Mia walked towards him and came to a standstill when she noted his jaw lock and eyes look to hers. By now, she'd seen him in enough situations to know what that meant, and the uncertainty that'd be creeping into his bones right about now.

Rather than speak, Mia loosened the glove around his hand and slid it off, then did the same with the other. Slowly, and with enough time for him to stop her if he wished to, she unzipped his jacket and went behind him to shrug it off, tossing it carelessly on the chair at her side. Even though she was the one who was baring all, there wasn't a doubt in her mind that it was _him_ who'd need some kind of reassurance to be at ease. As she came to his front once more, she tugged lightly at the bottom of his wet shirt in permission, and peeled it off of his still-damp body when he brought his arms up.

Now that the playing fields were a little more even, Mia saw his eyes relax and shoulders sag ever so slightly. But there was still something there, hesitance that didn't belong to a man who'd just confessed what he had to the woman at his chest.

Purposefully twining her hand with his left one, Mia held it tightly, _deliberately_ , and bore into his eyes as she said, "You've given me so much hope, so much faith." Bringing a hand to his jaw and stroking the scruff that coated it, she continued, "You're everything I don't deserve, Bucky Barnes."

He swallowed and felt his brows furrow at such an outrageous thought, but lost all concentration when she touched a thumb to his bottom lip. "I love you," she confessed, sending a shiver through his skin. "And it scares me how much I need you, how afraid I am of losing you. But right here, right _now_ ," she smiled sincerely. "We've got every tomorrow waitin' for us."

Bucky couldn't help but crack a smile at that undeserved thought, not when there was a girl, _his_ girl, ready to give everything to a no-good sort like him. " _Klun ghadaan_? (Every tomorrow?)"

Mia grinned and replied softly, "For as long as you're mine."

The words fell from his lips like second nature.

" _Khasatan bik_."

 _Yours._

Butterflies overtaking her stomach and anticipation getting the best of her, Mia leaned up once more and left a soft kiss to his lips before asking bashfully, "Take me to bed?"

Taking her by _complete_ surprise, Bucky hooked his arms under her thighs and hoisted her up, leaving a trail of delirious giggles in his wake. Mia clawed at his back to keep her balance, their chests touching until he dropped her unceremoniously on the bed and joined her. She pushed herself up against the pillows and brought him flush against her as they kissed, the weight of expectation and worry free from their shoulders as they began the night.

Nothing quite matched the moments in which he explored her for the first time, with her guiding hand placing his atop her rib and leaving matters to his discretion. With his flesh hand, he mapped out the curves of her stomach, the arch of her waist, the swell of her _heart_ , not remembering the last time he'd felt something so soft.

When seconds went by and her patience was at its wits end, Mia propped herself up and pushed him back to the pillows so that she was given her over-due chance. She shifted and felt, and tripped her fingers along ever part of him before minutes had gone by and neither one of them could manage their haste.

Having been a long time for both of them, there were naturally moments of minute hesitation and reluctance, making sure that the other was ready. Bucky's caution when it came to his metal arm was even more present in those moments, and Mia knew that if they were lucky enough to have the chance, it was something they could work towards. But after unrushed moments of working at it and building up a mutual confidence that they fell into, there was a change in which their bodies simply took over. He knew what to do, and she knew how to react. And regardless of the pasts they carried and the troubles their hearts held, in those moments of seemingly infinite happiness, they were no different to every soul upon God's Green Earth that felt the same.

X

"I need 10 years worth of sleep," said Mia tiredly, as Bucky's hand mindlessly smoothed over her arm. "But I also need 10 meals worth of food. Do you see my problem?"

When she didn't hear a response, Mia looked over to the man she'd spent the last hour with and caught him seemingly not paying attention to a word she was saying. As her eyes followed his line of sight to the skin which peaked out from above the thin sheets, Mia yanked the covers up to her chin and awaited his reaction.

"Hey, what?" he asked cluelessly. "I didn't even say anything."

"That's the _point_ ," she chided. "Have you listened to a word I've said in the last 5 minutes?"

He pushed himself up and leaned his arm on a pillow as he said, "Of course I did, doll."

Mia shook her head profusely. " _Nah, nah, nah_. None of that," she declared. "What was I talking about?"

Bucky ran a hand through his hair. "C'mon, you were talking about the, y'know… _the thing_."

Mia squinted. "The _thing_?"

"Yeah, the thing with the…y'know…the ears and all," he reached.

"…You mean my _aunt_?" she asked incredulously.

Bucky tried but failed to start a sentence. "I mean…well—She has _ears_."

Mia quirked her brows, inwardly dying at the guilty look on his face. "You want a shovel for that hole your diggin', or are you good?"

Bucky let his face fall into the pillow as he asked defeatedly, "You want me to get you some Mint Ice-Cream?"

Mia laughed and brought her hand out from under the covers to card at his hair, feeling him relax further under her fingers. "I think you've done _more_ than enough for today."

"I agree," he mumbled half-cheekily, half-proudly into the pillow.

Mia was about to reply when a sudden thought sprung to her mind, causing her to yank at a lock of his hair rather harshly. "Oh, my God!" she screamed.

" _Jesus_ —Mia!" he said as the unexpected pull, bringing his head up to ask, "What is it? What happened?"

With a bright smile on her face and completely oblivious to his pain, Mia said, " _Khaala_ packed food! What the—How could I forget?!"

Mia was about to spring out of bed when she remembered that her body was currently without a shred of clothing on it. She yanked at the sheet they were both wrapped in, but fell an insistent tug at the other end of it. "Hey—C'mon, Bucky."

"I need it," he reasoned. "You go on."

"I'm not getting up without it, Barnes," she declared.

"Really? Even after…everything?" he quipped.

Mia smiled and shook her head. "No, _that_ was different. We were in the moment, you weren't paying close attention to—"

Bucky laughed sharply. "Yeah, 'course I wasn't," he said in a voice dripping with sarcasm. "Tell you what, I won't even look. See?" he shut his eyes and sat up to rest his back on the headboard. "Go on, now."

"Oh, _please_. I trust you about as far as I can throw you," she replied.

Bucky's lips curled into his signature smirk. "You seem pretty strong to me," he said with mischief behind his eyes.

Mia blushed into oblivion as she figured he was referencing this one moment where she'd kind of had to suspend herself half-on-the-bed, half-against-the-headboard, and it'd required…a lot of…core…strength?

Ugh, you get the drift.

"I mean it, kid. Go," he said with finality. Deciding better than to debate for longer, Mia figured she'd just hurriedly find her underwear, wherever they'd been tossed, and escape to the other room to fetch her regular clothes. Keeping an eye on him while she slipped out from under the sheet, Mia's hair fell down the length of her back in frizzy waves from the rain. She looked on either side of the bed to find the prized item, but to no avail. True to his word, he'd kept his eyes closed for that long, but self-control when it came to his girl wasn't one of his fortes.

"Your hair looks nice like that," he teased.

" _Bucky_ ," she whined.

"Alright, alright, they're still closed," he defended with his hands in surrender. The night had brought about a sense of childishness, of _wonderment_ that he wasn't used to, and the ease with which he was joking and teasing wasn't something that was lost on either one of them.

When a solid minute went by and Mia still couldn't find them, she asked disbelievingly, "Where the—Buck, where did you _throw_ them?"

"They're under the curtain," he said with a grin.

Mia's mouth fell open. "You _knew_ —Wow." Mia found the coveted piece of lace and slipped it on quickly before he sneaked another look. "Good luck getting me to— _Bucky_ ," she said as his eyes fell open instinctively.

"I'm sorry, hey, I'm sorry, sweetheart," he said through laughter that hadn't befallen his lips in _lifetimes_. Mia left the room while he yelled his apology, with her mumbling to herself about 'untrustworthy old men' and 'damned 20/20 vision'. Alone with his thoughts, Bucky tried to understand the chatter and mayhem that plagued his senses. At that moment in time, they were both scattered and collected, unspeakable and dignified, _all at once_. By God, this feeling of contentment wasn't something he'd yearned for in his wildest daydreams, much less what he deserved. But somehow, nonetheless, it had come to him.

Just as he revisited the moments of the night in his mind, he heard a loud ' _oh my God'_ from Mia in the next room. He was about to call out to her when she came running in, now in an oversized t-shirt that doubled as a nightie.

"What happened?" he asked at once.

"Zeyn messaged me half an hour ago," she said with a smile as wide as he'd ever seen on her. "We're going to New York."

X


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes: HIIIIIII OKAYYYYYYYYY SOOOOOOOOOOOO pleaseeee don't be mad, and at this point I sound like a broken record that plays the world's most annoying song, BUT I'm so so sorry for not updating, m'loves. Same, uni, work, assignments, LIFE, it's all just taking its toll and unfortunately my end-of-year exams are fast approaching, so I've been terrible. To be honest, I wasn't going to post this chapter this week because it was a little shorter, but I realised that it'd be a real loser-ish thing for me to do seeing as I've gone 4 FLIPPING WEEKS of not updating, so, HERE YA ARE :')))))**

 **I've kind of added a new thing this week, and that's the use of songs to background a few scenes. I've wanted to do this for the LONGEST time, because I feel like songs and tunes in general add an entirely different dynamic to a story. SO, I've put the names of the songs before the beginning of a scene, and if you wannnntttttt to, you can put them into YouTube and listen to the song (with the volume turned down) while reading along to the scene. It might TOTALLY not work for you which is no problemo AT ALL, but it's something I love doing while writing and reading alike, so I hope it worksssssss for youse :'))))**

 **ANDDD a final little note, just a TRIGGER WARNING for you beautiful peepz. There's brief mentions of suicide in the chapter, and whilst I try not to delve into topics that might be difficult for people to read, I add them in where I think it'll add substance to the story. If you have a problem with it, I'M SO SORRY, and maybe skip out the end of this chapter, hun! That being said, my DM's are ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS open, whether it be for family problems or personal stuff or if you wanna tell me what your favourite popcorn flavour is, I AM DOWN TO LISTEN BOO! You guys are the reason I do this, and I'd honestly love to hear from youse if anyone was in the mood :'))))**

 **Okay, will I ever NOT have a long note?! I'M SORRY, but I hope you enjoy! Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 25

"You realise this isn't very _gentlemanly_ , right?" asked Mia with a lopsided grin. "Look, I'm all for 21st century ideals, but staying with your girl _at least_ until sunrise after your first time isn't old-fashioned, it's just good manners."

Bucky looked at her with an unimpressed glare. "Don't do that."

"Do what?" she asked innocently as she watched her fella' shrug his jacket back on under the glow of the bedside lamp.

" _That_ ," he said with a quirked brow. "Act like you're the one missin' out."

Mia sat up on her knees and shuffled her way over to him. "Well, if you don't wanna miss out, then stay."

Bucky averted his eyes from her pouted lip and widened baby browns, for fear of being duped into something that would cost him time and energy and _everything in between_. As Mia sat in her pyjamas at the edge of the bed and her eyes glued knowingly to his, Bucky tried to think of a single good reason why he should leave the comfort and sanctity of their hotel room for the humid air that clung to the July evening.

 _The team, the team, the team._

Remembering the reason for his untimely getaway and feeling Mia snake her fingers through his hand, he murmured to himself, "I'm gonna murder Wilson."

Mia laughed and in her childishness, stood up on the bed to look down at him. "Maybe one of these days we'll be able to get through a few hours without someone calling you away for something."

Bucky looked up at her as she balanced her hands lazily on his shoulders. He let out a breath and mumbled, "I'm sorry I have to go."

She smiled. "The fact that you're here at all is a treat, Buck. I don't take it for granted." She paused, "Even if we only got in 90 minutes or so."

"You were counting?" he asked with a small smirk.

"I wasn't _counting_. Just…y'know, keeping score of the time you owe me. Sunrise isn't until 5:00, and you're leaving at 2:00." She shook her head disapprovingly. "I'll be around to cash in my debt soon."

He drank in everything about her in that moment, her promise, her mischief. "Can't wait, sweetheart."

Mia couldn't help the giddy laughter that fell from her lips as she clung to him, a full head taller than him and feeling safer than she ever had. Their night together, however short it may have been, had been the string of moments that most people wouldn't dare dream of. Easy, untainted, _enamouring_. And what both of them would've done to stay huddled away in a corner of the world forever…

"Alright, Sergeant. Duty's calling," Mia said as she leapt off the bed and dawdled her way to the front door. If she didn't make the first move, she knew they'd get nowhere that he needed to be.

"What time are you gonna get home?" he asked as he pocketed his wallet and followed her.

"I gotta check out by 9:00, but I wanna be back at the house before that. God, I thought I'd be doing a lot of things this week, but going to New York sure as _hell_ wasn't one of them."

Bucky asked, "Did Zeyn say why?"

She shook her head. "Said we'd talk when I got home, but to be honest…I feel like him and _khaala_ are up to something. She's been on the phone a lot lately, always pushes me out of the room when it rings. And they were a _little_ too excited to get rid of me yesterday, so…" Mia shrugged, "I've got some investigating to do."

They both dawdled at the door as Mia played with the handle, a little more than reluctant to let him go.

"So, any idea when you and the fellas are gonna be back from Philly?" she asked hopefully.

He shook his head. "Won't know until this op's behind us. But we should be in New York by Thursday."

"Maybe we could carpool," she said with a smile.

Bucky shook his head, "As long as Wilson ain't driving."

Mia clicked her tongue. "I sense a budding bromance," she sing-songed. When Bucky only replied with a confused look, she elaborated, "A non-sexual romance. Between bros." Mia smiled, "But hey, I'm not assuming anything. You guys have _wicked_ tension."

Too abruptly, Bucky reached for the handle and mumbled, " _God_ , this fucking generation."

Mia clutched his arm with eyes shut from laughter and said, "Alright, alright, there's no tension. God," she slapped a hand loosely at his chest. "Be careful, Gramps, your age's showing."

Unexpectedly, Bucky took a step towards her that wiped the smile off her face as he asked confidently, "Is that what you think?"

Mia swallowed and feigned coyness when she replied, "Maybe."

His eyes fell to her lips fleetingly, but in an instant, he'd opened the door and said, "I'll give you some time to reconsider."

"Hey, no, no, wait," said Mia as she walked on after him, now standing in the fancy corridor clad in her PJ's. She pulled his hand and asked, "What, you're just gonna leave me like that?"

Bucky shrugged nonchalantly. "I've actually got this other dame waitin' on me in Philly, so—"

Mia pulled him down for a kiss that was more of a warning than a sweet gesture. She drew back and asked, "You still want someone waitin' for you when you get back from the op?"

He blinked once. "Yes, ma'am."

"Then don't get too cocky, Sarge," she smiled.

"Copy that," he affirmed. "So…should I cancel my plans with her, or…?"

Mia raised a brow tauntingly, inwardly loving his renewed cheekiness and dying _just_ a little at how wide he was smiling. Without a thought, he pecked a kiss to her cheek and walked backwards to the elevator, a stubborn grin on his lips as he said his last goodbye.

Her graduation wasn't that bad after all.

X

The second her brother swung the door open to her apartment, Mia knew she was in for it. She stood with her overnight bag in hand and tried not to seem like the guiltiest suspect DC had ever seen.

…Mia was not successful.

"Stop," said Zeyn as Mia tried to step into her own apartment. "Not so fast."

"Um…"

"I know what you did," he declared.

Mia stared at him. "What?"

 _He can't know. There's no way. How on Earth could he_ possibly _know that I had s—_

"You did _the do_ ," he whispered.

Mia squinted. "Are you okay? I mean, physiologically?"

Zeyn did a once over of his sister, her hair a little dishevelled regardless of how she'd tried to tame it, her posture relaxed and the lines on her face a little too rested. "You broke the law. You broke my rules."

Mia scoffed and walked past him. "I have no idea what you're talking about, son."

"Uh, I think you know exactly what I'm talking about. Are you really gonna walk around with that lie on your conscience? _In my good Christian suburbs_?" he asked like a Mama Goose with his hands on his hips.

"Your _Christian suburbs_ are just gonna have to accept that your rules were stupid."

Zeyn brought a hand to his heart. "Those laws were put in place to protect you. Boys are _not good people_ , Mia." He continued, "Good luck explaining your 'refreshed' look to _khaala_."

Mia rolled her eyes and dropped her bag at the kitchen bench before rummaging through the fridge. "Well, I didn't do any drugs. Or go streaking." She turned around and smiled smugly, "And you can't prove anything beyond that."

"Prove? Kid, I won't have to say a word, it's written all over your face." He shrugged, "I'd be more mad, but I know you're gonna hear it from her anyway."

"Oh, please," said Mia with a mouthful of Turkish bread. "I'm a grown woman, I can _do_ whatever I want—"

"Miriya," said _khaala_ with a smile as she walked into the room. "You came back so early."

" _Sabah al-khair, khaala_ ," she greeted her aunt with a smile. "You guys really dropped a bombshell on me last night."

"Yes, it was a last minute…idea," trailed off _khaala_. She looked at her niece with a keen eye, and couldn't help but notice something a little different about her. "Are you…okay, Miriya?"

Mia paused mid-bite. "Okay? Of course I'm okay. Uh…why do you ask?"

"You look…different." She touched a lock of her hair. "Unwound."

Mia laughed nervously. "Well, I _did_ go to a resort. It was amazing, _khaala_. You would've loved it, very posh and all."

"Mmm," hummed _khaala_ absentmindedly. "And what did you do?"

"Well," Mia mumbled. "Some…relaxing. And, uh…resting."

Zeyn snickered behind her and whispered lowly, "He must've been doing it wrong, then."

Mia promptly stomped on his foot and took pride in the cry of pain that fell from his lips. "Ehm, so, is anyone gonna tell me _why_ we're going to New York?"

 _Khaala_ clapped her hands. "Right, yes. I'm sure you remember my cousin, Arsala?"

"Only by name," she replied.

"Well, she lives in New York, and while I haven't seen her in many years, we've remained in contact." She continued excitedly in Arabic, "Anyway, she has a daughter who's a little younger than you, Miriya. And she is to be married in the coming weeks."

Mia's eyes lit up instantly. "You mean…we're going to a wedding?"

 _Khaala_ nodded, grinning ear to ear. " _Na'am_."

"Oh, my God!" exclaimed Mia. " _Oh, my God_ , this is incredible. I don't even know who this chick is, but we're going to her wedding, and we haven't been to an Arab wedding since I was 14." She continued, "What's her daughter's name?"

"Mariyah."

Mia blinked slowly. "Wow, that's not gonna be confusing _at all_."

"Hush," _khaala_ insisted. " _Miriya_ and _Mariyah_ are two completely different names."

"How come we've never heard about them before this?" she asked curiously.

 _Khaala_ sobered up a little at the question and cleared her throat. "Your _khaalu_ is not very… _fond_ of Arsala's husband."

"Is there a reason?" asked Zeyn.

"You know your _khaalu_. He doesn't need a reason," she said, with no small amount of scornfulness. The truth was that in the few weeks that _khaala_ had been in America, she'd mentioned her husband only a handful of times. Neither Zeyn nor Mia had talked to their uncle in over 3 months, but that wasn't necessarily new. Being the sole owner of an internationally recognised textile business made Faaris Alfiyan a busy man. He was rarely in one city for longer than 3 weeks at a time, and his work travelled him to every corner of the globe.

But as of late, his connection with the three other members of his house had grown weaker still. Though he'd never been too partial to the kids, his distance from _khaala_ had become glaringly obvious. Mia had noticed within the first couple of weeks of her aunt's stay, but had thought better than to mention it too much. Sometimes, these things are better left unsaid.

"So, when do we leave?" Mia asked.

Pulled from her reverie, _khaala_ said, "Well, your brother and I will depart tomorrow night. We have booked your flight for Tuesday."

Mia blinked. "Is there a _reason_ I'm not flying with you guys, or…"

She turned to her brother _just_ in time to see him signalling to _khaala_ to keep quiet, and at that moment, Mia's suspicions had been confirmed;

They were planning something.

"Uh, well, yes, there's no reason. We just…we thought you should enjoy your graduation weekend and spend some more time…resting," said _khaala_ unconvincingly.

"…Right." Mia shook her head and scooped up her bag from the floor. "Well, if you guys feel like coming clean about this grand scheme you're so desperate to hide, you know where to find me."

And with that, she walked her way to her room and shut the door behind her, heaving out a sigh.

She was going to New York. She'd be attending a Syrian wedding. She was going to see a new city and live out the final days of summer there. She was happy.

And damned as she'd been in the past, this fool was in love.

X

"Do you have peppermint toothpaste?" asked _khaala_ as she packed the last of her clothes into her baggage.

Mia furrowed her brows. "Uh…I'm not…sure."

She pointed to Mia's neck, or rather, the purpling bruise forming at the base of it, poorly hidden under her sweatshirt. "Peppermint will help with that."

Mia's eyes widened as she yanked her shirt back and covered the recently discovered hickey. "I, uh, I was…fighting…like, sparring…"

"And your opponent… _kissed you_?" her aunt asked knowingly. With a small laugh, she consoled, "I was not born yesterday, nor was I born the day before, Miriya."

Now more than a little red, Mia burrowed her face into the pillow on _khaala_ 's bed and groaned into it. " _Why_?"

"There, there," said _khaala_ with a tap to her shoulder. "Perhaps if I had been stronger in my faith, I would have had wiser things to say. But, as life has it, I have been in your position."

Mia's head shot up as she looked at her aunt with a dumbstruck expression. "You mean…you're not…upset?"

" _Upset_? Miriya, someone is trying to give me grandchildren, why would I be upset?" she laughed.

"Oh, my— _Khaala_ ," she whined. "He's not trying to give you grandchildren, what the—Why does your mind always go straight to reproduction?!"

Her aunt's face fell. "You mean to tell me that not only are you sinning, but you won't even get anything out of it?"

Mia's face grew red and she couldn't help but smile embarrassedly. "I mean… _I_ got plenty out of it, but…"

 _Khaala_ hit her on the arm, obviously not impressed with that answer. "Selfish."

"Hey!" said Mia with a laugh. "I'm 22, and you're acting like I'm menopausal. Relax woman, the time will come. But right now, I'm on the pill for period pain right, so don't expect any mini-Alfiyan's running around any time soon."

 _Khaala_ let out a _hmph_ before asking curiously, "And who is the man?"

Mia blinked slowly. "…Seriously?" When _khaala_ simply nodded, she said, "It's Bucky, _khaala_. Remember him? The guy we went to dinner with. The one you liked? The one I'm _with_?"

" _Na'am_ , _na'am,_ yes, I know. Just making sure, darling."

… _I don't…What—Does my aunty think I'm a hoe?!_

"I will not lecture you, Miriya. I think we both know that you are old enough to understand your choices. But I will say this." She sat down on the spot next to her niece and said, "Be careful, _habibti_. Your body is precious. Do not bestow the privilege of it upon anyone who will not cherish it for what it is." She continued softly, "For who you are."

Taken aback by the slightly poetic way her aunt always seemed to share wisdom, Mia smiled softly and nodded, still not used to hearing words like that from the woman in front of her. "I'll be careful, _khaala_."

"Good." With a small pat on Mia's leg, _khaala_ stood up and zipped up her bag, ready for her flight to NY. Regal as always, she stood clad in formal pants with a crisp white blouse tucked into them. Her long hair was rounded into a low bun, and her handbag clung to her wrist. "We mustn't be late."

"Are you sure you don't want me to drop you guys to the airport?" asked Mia for the 7th time. "It won't take me long."

"No, no. Your brother insisted that he introduce me to this new limousine service called 'Umer'."

Mia laughed. "It's _Uber_ , _khaala_. And it's a _lot_ of things, but it sure as hell isn't a limous—"

" _And_ that's all we're gonna say about that," said Zeyn as he walked through the door, clearly with a plan to give _khaala_ a heart attack by taking her in the dodgiest Uber he could find. "Let's go."

And with that, the three Alfiyans walked to the front door, with only two stepping beyond its threshold while Mia was left behind. It felt strange, being in an empty house after so many months of having someone else with her. And the thought occurred to her that both her brother and aunt would be leaving soon. Zeyn had only come for her graduation, and _khaala_ 's entire life was back in Australia.

And though she knew that this moment would come soon enough, as it loomed closer, she found herself clinging to the hope that somehow, through _some way_ or another, they could stay.

X

"You can't be fucking serious," muttered Sam, with Steve standing next to him.

As Bucky made his way into the team's safe-house in Philly, he tried to remain conscious of the fact that anything he said or did out of line would result in a never-ending torture session from Wilson. The fact that he had to be there at all was an absolute punishment, especially after the amount of time he'd have _liked_ to spend at The Regent. But this wasn't the time to replay the night or to slap himself silly at how it'd happened at all. Rather, it was the time to remain calm and collected, not giving away any hint as to what had happened in the 2 hours he'd had with his girl.

…But unfortunately, like Mia, the people around him just weren't idiotic enough to fall for it.

"It's about damn time," said Sam as he shook his head. "Look at this motherfucker, _holy shit_. You ever seen him this happy?" he asked Steve.

Bucky's lips remained in a frown and his eyes a little vacant, which he thought was a sure-shot way to seem unfazed.

…Apparently not.

"How was recon?" he asked Steve.

Instead of answering him, Steve had the ghost of a smirk on his lips as he appraised his friend. "You good?"

Bucky shrugged. "Fine. Why?"

"Because it looks like you went a few rounds with a fuckin' grizzly," said Sam as he pointed to his bruised neck. "I take it the booty call went well."

"Fuck off, Wilson," said Bucky as he shrugged his collar higher, but his façade was broken ever so slightly when his customary insult ended with the smallest grin. And that was more than enough to set the boys into a slight frenzy.

"Look at that fucking—Is he _smiling_? Is this fool actually _smiling_? What the fuck—Someone call the National Guard, _holy shit_. Wha—Ain't no Winter smile, boy."

As Sam's comments continued, Steve found himself laughing along freely, _cheekily_ for the first time in a long time. He stood with Sam clung to his shoulder, not controlling his laughter in the least as they sounded off on Bucky's expense. And at the sight of his teammates letting go like that, Bucky wasn't too far behind. They laughed and shook their heads in disbelief, and eventually Bucky told them both to 'fuck off unless they wanted broken clavicles'.

Unconvential, yet effective.

As the laughter died down, Sam sent a light punch to Bucky's shoulder and told him how this better help him lighten up henceforth, to which Bucky glared back half-heartedly. Sam went into the other room and left Steve and Bucky standing a foot apart, caught up in another moment that was as far from fathomable as it could get.

"So, you did it?" asked Steve.

He scoffed. "I did _something_ , fuck, I don't even know." He shook his head. "How'd I even get here, man?"

"S'not important. What matters is that it happened, and I'm sure she's just as chuffed as you are." He nodded, "I'm happy for you, Buck."

He smiled slightly. "You're happy that I had sex?"

Steve shrugged. "Well, sure, I mean…I guess you…kinda deserve it."

Bucky squinted. "I…deserve sex?"

Steve let out a breath. "Why are you doing this?"

Bucky laughed. "It's too easy with you, Rogers." He nodded solemnly. "But I get it. And…if it wasn't her, it couldn't have been anyone else."

"Did ya' drop the magic words?"

Bucky nodded. "It felt right. Never gonna fucking understand how she feels the same, though. Something seriously wrong with her."

"No doubt," he said with a smile.

Silence elapsed before a thought came to Bucky's mind, one that had quite frankly disturbed him to no end. "So, you planning on becoming a Cardinal, or you like being a virgin for fun?"

But before Steve could even _begin_ to respond, the unthinkable, the unbearable, the _unimaginable_ happened;

Sam Wilson heard.

"You're a fucking _what_?"

X

When Mia finished her Monday morning shift at Vito's, she realised that for the first time in almost 16 years, she was a free agent. No school, no university, no assessments; just her and the things she wanted to do. She'd been periodically applying for jobs as opportunities came up, but good news was yet to arrive her way. The plan she'd devised with Sam for the community refugee program had been put aside for now, with things being rather hectic as of late. But the time for that would come too, and until then, she would just ride out the waves of unemployment as they hit.

When evening time came around, Mia decided that the best thing to do before she left for the Big Apple was to clean up. With _khaala_ around, the house stayed relatively spotless, but there were a few annoying chores that needed tending to. And so, with the music blasting through the speakers, her favourite pair of booty shorts and crop singlet on, Mia went about the motions of spring (well, summer) cleaning.

Once she'd tended to the linen cupboard that'd gone months without a proper do-over and the laundry that had about 3 loads of undone washing, she came around to the living room. Try as she may, Mia had neglected to sort out her near hundred DVD's and books stacked along the top shelf, and seeing as though her boyfriend wasn't in town and Mel wasn't picking up her phone, this was the only way she could spend her night.

 _Wet Dreamz – J Cole_

" _There wasn't nothing like that first time, she was in my math class. Long hair, brown skin, with a fat ass_ ," sang along Mia. Loose locks of hair fell from her messy bun as she went to go pick up a few CD's from the floor, the blaring music leaving her unaware of an additional presence.

Having invited himself into her apartment after she hadn't responded to his knocking, Bucky walked in slowly to the living room, wary of scaring her but realising soon enough that she was too preoccupied to notice him. And with her bent to the floor the way she was, clad in flimsy shorts and a tight top, he wasn't in a rush to alarm her.

' _Cause when I see them thighs on her_

 _And them hips on her_

 _And them lips on her_

 _Got me daydreamin', man_

She sifted through the discs in her hand and bobbed her head to the music, unknowingly swaying her hips in time with the rhythm. Something about that song in particular always struck a chord with her, and it showed in the way she forgot about her chores altogether when the chorus kicked in.

 _And I ain't never did this before, no_

 _And I ain't never did this before, no_

 _And I ain't never did this before, no._

Her eyes closed and still completely unaware that there was someone drinking in every move her body made, Mia mouthed along to the lyrics while moving her hands along her waist, trailing down to her hips. Dancing was something that'd always come naturally to her, with much credit due to how her culture cherished it. She'd been aware of how to move her body in ways most people took years to learn since she was young, and that'd paid off on more than a few occasions. It was all easy and sensual and unthinking, simply because she didn't have a clue that Bucky was momentarily losing his wits 3 feet away.

 _That's when my heart start racing_

 _And my body start sweatin'_

 _Baby, you done woke my little man up_

Mia laughed a little as she traipsed her way to the stereo, still rocking her hips to the beat of the music. After a day's worth of cleaning, she didn't feel particularly alluring, but from Bucky's point of view, he saw glistening skin and mussed hair and shorts bursting at the cuffs around her thighs. And as his eyes drifted upwards to the white crop that clung to her like a—

" _Oh, my_ —Sweet _Jesus_ —Are you serious?!" she screamed with a hand on her racing heart. "What—You're… _here_ , and… _why!?_ "

Bucky laughed as her cheeks grew darker in colour, obviously embarrassed by the fact he had to witness her 'unrefined' dancing. She covered her face with both her hands and shook her head as he walked closer. "You know any bridges nearby that I can take a nice walk off of?" she mumbled as he turned down the music.

Bucky clasped a hand to her wrist and brought it down, prompting her to look up at him. "There's no need for that, kid." He quirked a brow and said, "You never told me you could dance."

Mia scoffed. " _That_ wasn't dancing, it was just…moving along to a song."

Bucky squinted. "…Sounds kinda like dancing to me." He stepped closer still and said smugly, "Either way…you don't have to stop."

Mia took a deliberate step back and leaned on one foot. "So, first you break into my house, and then you start giving me orders?"

"S'not an order. Consider it a…humble suggestion?" he said unsurely.

Mia couldn't contain a laugh as she replied, "Well, suggestion noted, but you didn't tell me you were coming, and right now I look _and_ feel like a garbage bin." More than conscious of her seemingly undesirable sweaty state, she continued, "So feel free to finish cleaning up while I take a quick shower, slick."

" _Or_ we could eat the pizza I bought from Philly and leave all that for later," suggested Bucky nonchalantly. "Up to you."

Mia's mouth fell open as she asked timidly, "Margarita?" Bucky nodded once, to which she asked, "Double cheese with extra oregano?"

"You bet."

A sound between a squeal and a giggle left Mia's lips as she ran towards him, all but leaping into his arms as she laid a kiss of utter joy on him that could only ever be brought on by the promise of food. As they both laughed into the embrace and breathed into the space between them, Mia asked, "You brought pizza all the way from Philly for me?"

Bucky looked at her with half-lidded eyes and shrugged. "Figured it was a nice way to apologise for Friday night." He swallowed, "It wasn't really how I wanted to leave things, but…duty called."

Mia nodded, with her arms still coiled around his neck. "So, you came here to make it up to me?"

"I thought your favourite food would do the trick," he guessed confidently.

Mia laughed a little mockingly. "Oh, honey, it's gonna take a little more than that. You can't just leave a girl in the middle of the night to go off and be with your pals. Mission or no mission, your record isn't straight yet."

Bucky swallowed. "What'd you have in mind?"

A bashful smile spread across Mia's lips. "You hungry?"

"Not really," he replied lowly.

She nodded and dropped her eyes to his lips. "Then the food can wait."

Bucky didn't resist when Mia stepped down from his embrace, leading him by the hand to her room and leaving the living area in a relative mess. She shimmied her hips from one side to the other as they stepped the last few meters towards her quarters, until the onset of excitable nerves spread deep into their bones. Gliding across the threshold, Mia and Bucky made their way into the room and locked eyes before sending the door shut, both prepared to pick up where they'd reluctantly left off a few nights ago.

X

"It's so… _tangy_."

Bucky turned Mia's way. "Not what you were expecting?"

She shook her head. "I mean…I don't know _what_ I was expecting, but…I just didn't think it'd taste _so good_." She ran her tongue over her thumb and shut her eyes in sheer delight. "This is incredible. Hey," she looked at Bucky. "How do you say 'this is incredible' in Italian?"

Bucky finished his own slice of pizza before saying, " _Questa è incredibile._ "

"Qwesta-ee incredible," butchered Mia.

Bucky laughed softly and shook his head. " _Questa_...

" _Questa_ ," Mia repeated.

" _E incredibile_ ," he said effortlessly.

" _E...increb—_ Damnit, _incredibile_."

"There you go," he said with a small smile.

Mia clapped chummily and reiterated, " _Questa e incredibile_." She pushed away a lock of her damp hair, freshly showered and sitting under the covers of her dishevelled bed in a cute pair of silk shorts and a loose tank. It was a stroke past midnight, and as was becoming increasingly clear the longer she spent with Bucky, time simply flew by when the pair of them shared in each other's company. "Y'know, you never did tell me how many languages you know."

Bucky leaned against the headboard and ran a hand through his hair. "I know a few."

"Nah, I want specifics, Barnes," she urged. "C'mon, out with it."

"17," he said with a smile.

Mia's mouth fell open as she brought the pizza away from her face to between them. "You…you know _17 languages_?"

Bucky nodded and took advantage of her slackened grip on the pizza slice, leaning down to take a generous bite from it. "Some of 'em are similar, though."

Mia shook her head dumbly. "What… _How_ did you learn so many languages? I mean, doesn't it ever get hard to tell the difference between them all?"

He shook his head and smiled at her endearing shock. "It's easier than you'd think."

"Maybe for you, I can barely speak English without sounding like an Arab goat farmer, let alone _15 other languages_." Mia repositioned herself excitedly and asked with widened eyes, "Wait, so, what's the strangest one you know?"

He leaned down to take another bite from the slice in her hand as he contemplated her question. "I don't know, I mean…they're all unique, I s'pose." He nodded to himself and continued, "But, I guess Yupik is a little…unorthodox."

" _Yupik_?" asked Mia. "Where's that spoken?"

"Central Alaska. It's not widespread, but you've got a few villages that don't know how to speak a word beyond their own dialect."

Mia shut her eyes in disbelief. "That is unreal. I can't believe you know how to speak a language most of the world's never even heard of. And, I mean, can you understand it properly?"

He nodded. "Enough to stay safe."

Knowing immediately that he was referring to interactions he'd have had in his previous life, Mia thought better than to stay on that train of thought. Instead, she asked, "Which one's your favourite, though? The one you like hearing most?"

Bucky thought for a bit as he brought a hand up to scratch his neck, still comfortably nestled in her bed without a shirt to wrestle with. "Arabic's beautiful. It's misunderstood, y'know. Sounds harsh, violent…but it's got character." Mia smiled softly as he continued, "I've always liked Spanish. And I've spoken Russian the most out of all of 'em." He thought briefly before saying, "But I gotta say, I've never heard anything like Urdu."

Mia's mouth fell open. " _Urdu_? You know _Urdu_?!"

He nodded. "Can't speak it too good, but understanding it isn't too hard. Why, you know it too?"

Mia lulled her head to the side and complained, "I _wish_ I knew Urdu. We grew up watching Bollywood films with subtitles and listening to songs in Urdu."

Bucky's brows furrowed. " _Bollywood_?"

Mia laughed, "It's the Indian version of Hollywood, it's swell."

"Ah."

"That's…that's a really strange choice, I'm not gonna lie," Mia said with a laugh. "Is there a reason why?"

Bucky sat up a little in his place and looked in front of him vacantly, almost as if he could visualise a memory playing out before him. "I knew someone who spoke it once, Steve and me both."

Mia shut the pizza box and put it on the floor before resettling under the covers, intent on hearing the story he was about to unveil. She loved these moments, a string of sentences that gave her glimpses into who he was and who he'd been. In her eyes, she was seeing inside the heart and soul of a man out of time, and if that wasn't absolute magic on its own, she didn't know what was.

"There was a wave of immigrants from East Asia that came to New York in the '10s and '20s. They were mostly labourers, would work harder than anyone else on the block and get little more than scrap in return." His eyes grew a shade darker, perhaps in sadness, as he mentioned his father. "My ole' man hired a bunch of them to work at the factory, treated 'em good, paid 'em better. And we became real close with a few of them."

Mia leaned on her elbow and watched with curious eyes as he continued. "His name was Ali, unlike any guy I'd ever known. Soft-spoken, resilient, just…extraordinary. He was about 40 when he came from India, had to leave his wife and kids behind just so he could send them back some money."

"Why couldn't they come with him?" asked Mia in a voice tinged with sadness.

"India was occupied by the British at the time," he said regrettably. "No one was going out or coming in without a bribe, and he just didn't have enough to bring them all." Mia nodded solemnly and waited for him to resume. "He worked as a bricklayer, but he was a poet by trade in India, a philosopher. And he was good at it too, spoke English better than most New Yorkers, but Urdu…that was his own."

Mia's heart warmed when Bucky laughed a little and recalled, "Me and Steve would get him in trouble every other day from the higher-ups, wouldn't quit badgering him during his shifts at the factory. But he never complained, not once. Always said we reminded him of his kids back home, that we would've loved 'em if we could meet 'em." He grew quiet for a long moment before clearing his throat mutedly and saying, "He, uh, he used to read us his poems. We couldn't have been older than 14, 15, but what he said…it always meant something. He'd say them in Urdu first then translate them for us. Just…incredible."

Mia asked inquisitively, "What were they about?"

"Some were about his family, his life back home. The world, I guess. You can imagine how chuffed Rogers was," he said with a smile. "I was a little thick back then, but he's always been into that sorta thing, couldn't get enough."

Mia's eyes widened as she asked, "You're not telling me Cap's into sensitive poetry."

Bucky let out one long laugh and looked up at his girl. "Are you kidding me? He lives for the arts."

Mia shook her head and covered her eyes. "That's a lie and a half, Barnes, c'mon."

He turned to face her and informed, "You ever seen one of his sketches?"

Mia's brows furrowed. "His _sketches_? He likes drawing?!"

"S'been doing it since he was 6, and he's good at it, too. Don't let all that 'heroism' fool ya', he's a big ole' softie."

Mia smiled and said, "I mean, I knew _that_ , but I just…I never pictured him as the poetry-reading, sketchbook-keeping kinda guy, y'know?"

He nodded. "Ali's the one who started him off on the poetry part. Gave him a few books on Rumi, Hafiz, all those sorts. And when we weren't tormentin' him," he said heartily, "He'd talk to us about culture and religion, faith. No one else had that kinda time to spare."

As Bucky trailed off, Mia noticed how his eyes danced with the colour of a memory. He was reliving it, clear as day. And she couldn't quite believe that there had been a time when his own name had been a mystery to him. My, how luck had favoured him in the days since.

"What happened to him?" she asked quietly.

Pulled from his reverie, Bucky looked at Mia and replied, "It took him about 2 years but he got enough money to bring his family over. They moved outta Brooklyn, and last we heard they opened up a restaurant in Manhattan."

Mia's eyes lit up with unhidden excitement. "What if…what if it's still there?"

Bucky turned to her, utterly charmed by her optimism. "It was about a hundred years ago, sweetheart."

"Hey, there are older things than that in New York, c'mon." She shrugged, "It couldn't be _that_ hard to find."

He laughed softly, looking up at her with untainted adoration. "I guess not." At her contented nod, he thought that now was the time to turn the tables and ask her a question that'd been on his mind since he'd entered the apartment. "So, you wanna tell me when you learned to dance."

Mia carelessly buried her face into the pillow in front of her as she groaned, " _Ugh,_ you weren't supposed to see that, _c'mon_."

"I don't know what you're embarrassed for," he said with a giddy smile. "Only bad thing about it was that it ended."

Mia rolled onto her back and slung an arm over her eyes as she said, "If I'd known I had an audience, I would've been a little more…I don't know… _refined_."

"Well, I wasn't complaining," he said as he tugged her hand from her face. "C'mon, you gotta tell me."

With a huff, Mia looked at his smug expression and said, "I started belly dancing when I was 7, same as most of the girls in our town. I know it might seem kinda weird to have started so young, but in most of Arabia, it's just another way to celebrate. We do it at parties, weddings; hell, we'll do it at breakfast if we hear good enough news."

Bucky laughed at the thought while Mia sat up and crossed her legs, continuing, "I stopped for a while, but when we moved to Sydney, my aunt put me back into classes. She said she didn't want me to lose my culture, to forget all the things that made it vibrant and colourful. And considering how much I just wanted to fit in, it was always a good reminder that it was okay to be a little different."

Bucky smiled. "You ever do any other kind?"

She nodded. "One of my closest friends in high school was Chilean, so she'd drag me along to all her salsa nights and tango classes. I picked up a little here and there," she said modestly, but Bucky got the feeling she was playing down her talents obscenely. Mia let out a sigh and looked to her fella' under the warmth of a dim lamp. "So, I guess dancing's kinda always been there in the background. I love it and all, but I just…haven't had much reason to do it lately."

The two elapsed into a contemplative silence, one that saw Bucky admitting something he hadn't even mentioned to Steve yet. As he wet his lips, he started softly, "I remember dancing." Mia ears pricked in fascination as he continued. "I remember loving it."

"You danced?" she asked with wonderstruck eyes, imagining a young and untainted lad from Brooklyn in some stylized club, surrounded only by laughing girls and whiskey.

"Dunno if I was any good," he brushed off. "But…yeah. I guess I did."

"What kind?" she delved.

"There were a few that made the rounds back then. I remember some grumpy old hag teaching us boys the waltz," he said as Mia giggled at the image. "Swinging was big in those days. We did everything, the 'Charleston', 'Balboa', even the 'Collegiate Shag'—"

"The _Collegiate Shag_?" asked Mia through broken laughter. "Wow, sounds like a riot of a time."

"Hey, it's better than some of the trash I've seen from kids nowadays. For God's sake, they're not even dancing to music, it's just…machines and robot noises."

"… _Wow,_ you literally sound 145 years old right now," said Mia smugly. "But, I can't really disagree with you either. Music's really gone downhill for us. I think you would've loved the '80s, they had some classics. The '70s were good, too. But none of that could compare to the Jazz Era that you folks got to live through."

Bucky's lips quirked into a small grin. "Nothing like the 'Roaring Twenties', I guess."

"I still can't believe you saw Coleman Hawkins perform live, I mean… _how does that even happen_?!" marvelled Mia. "I honestly think if I would've told my dad that my boyfriend was at one of _Coleman Hawkins'_ performances, he would've gone into cardiac arrest, no joke. I've never known a bigger jazz fan than he was."

Bucky turned his head in surprise. "Really?" Mia nodded, to which he said, "I didn't know that about him."

Mia laughed. "Oh, God, he adored it. And jazz was big in Syria back then, so he had other people who shared his love for it, y'know."

Bucky nodded and asked curiously, "You got a favourite song?"

"Of Coleman's?"

"No, just…in general," he said. "Something you love."

Mia looked to the ceiling and thought for a few long moments. Immediately, her mind was flooded with choices upon choices of songs from every era and genre. A few stuck out more than others, particularly ones she'd held dear since she was young. But at the end of it, there was one that she thought he'd appreciate as much as she did, and that's the one she chose.

With a small grin, she asked, "You wanna hear it?"

"Sure," he replied immediately. He smiled inwardly as Mia hopped off the bed and rushed to her speakers, her shorts crinkled and the back of her shirt a little damp from her washed hair. He watched as she flicked through her phone before plugging it into the system, and within moments the swell of an ensemble filled her humble room with their tune. Without words, Mia turned her back to the open window by which the speakers sat and looked to Bucky, her eyes filled with guarded promise as she extended her hand.

 _It's Been A Long, Long Time – Kitty Kallen & Harry James_

"Dance with me?" she asked through upturned lips.

Bucky's eyes fell shut as he said, "I should've seen this coming."

"C'mon, Sarge," she said in jest. "It's a slow song, you'll do great. Don't worry, I'll take it easy on you," she teased.

Bucky was about to respectfully decline, but then he got a good look at her. There was his girl, warmed by the moonlit sky just behind her and looking every bit as beautiful as she did the first time they'd met. Except now, she trusted him, and not only that, but she knew his heart fit only in her hands. She could make him do a great deal of things against his better judgement, and he'd acquiesce without protest. But at that moment, all she wanted was for him to guide her hand through a song she adored, with only the night-time as their witness.

"That pout's gonna get me killed someday," he mumbled as he stood to his feet, reaching down for his shirt as Mia clapped excitedly in the background.

"C'mon, c'mon, the song only lasts for 3 minutes," she rushed. As Bucky sullied his way to her, she reached her hands for his shoulders instinctively, before coiling them around his neck as though they'd never belonged elsewhere. This next part, as it turned out, came more naturally than Bucky expected, with his hands reaching for her waist without prompt, the music continuing to whine in the background.

"You're gonna have to take charge on this one, Barnes," said Mia with a laugh. "I'm rubbish at this kinda jive."

Bucky smirked. "I don't even know the song."

"But you know me," she pointed out. "Just…lead, and I'll follow you."

The two of them fell quiet as words began to spill from the speakers and painted the room with all the feeling of a '40s ballroom. They listened, and through it all, their eyes never wavered from the person they each saw as their saving grace.

 _Never thought that you would be_

 _Standing here so close to me_

 _There's so much I feel that I should say_

 _But words can wait_

 _Until some other day_

"I gotta say, kid, this is mighty different from that tune you had on when I walked in here," Bucky said lowly.

Mia laughed as she recalled the words from the track she'd blasted hours earlier. "I like different things at different times, y'know." She swayed along with him as she said, "But this…this is perfect for tonight."

 _Kiss me once_

 _Then kiss me twice_

 _Then kiss me once again_

 _It's been a long, long time_

As the saxophone waned in background, Mia brought her forehead to touch his, both their eyes fluttering shut as the cool summer breeze hit them at once. They swayed lazily, comfortably, with no hurry or worry in the world. It was the sort of night Mia had never had, and the type Bucky was sure he'd be denied for the rest of his days. But doomed as they were, somehow, they'd managed each other.

"I wish we could stay here," whispered Mia. "I wish we could take this moment and…keep it as it is. All the way 'til forever."

 _You'll never know how many dreams_

 _I've dreamed about you_

Bucky parted from her to see shiny eyes filled with a tinge of sadness that this too would end. "Forever's an awfully long time," he said, suddenly dry-mouthed.

She smiled. "It's not long enough, _jaan_."

 _Or just how empty_

 _They all seemed without you_

 _So kiss me once_

 _Then kiss me twice_

 _Then kiss me once again_

"If anything ever happens," said Bucky, almost a little unthinkingly. "If…if anything were to go wrong…I want you to know something."

Mia's brows furrowed slightly. "Bucky?"

He swallowed. "You're my home," he confessed. "You're the life I know I dreamed about when I was a kid." He shook his head minutely. "Before I became what I did."

" _Habib qalbi_ ," she whispered, a hand to his cheek.

"I never wanted the war, Mia. Not when I enlisted, not with the Commandoes. Never." He winced slightly, "If it were up to me, I would've bought land on a prairie somewhere East and never heard from anyone again." He watched Mia's eyes begin to shine as he continued, "All I wanted was to meet a girl, start a family, grow old then leave this hell with someone at my side." Their swaying came to a halt as he uttered, "But I just wouldn't die. And my life should've ended 20 times over by now, but it hasn't. And I'd try, but I wouldn't."

By this point, Mia could feel a pain in her stomach radiating through to almost every bone in her body at the thought, just at the _thought_. She licked an errant tear from her lips, willing herself to see past the pain imbrued with his baby blues.

"And I've spent the last 70 years wishing for Death to take me." He shook his head. "But now I'm here, with you, lookin' like everything I've ever wanted, and I couldn't be more afraid to die."

"Oh, Bucky," she said breathlessly. "You think you've survived all this just so you can leave when it matters most?" She shook her head resolutely, "This is just the beginning, _our_ beginning. We've got an entire lifetime ahead of us, sweetheart. We've seen too much sadness for this to be it," she reasoned. "There's no way we don't get our happy ending."

Bucky smiled at her faith, once again, shining through when his thoughts grew cloudy. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because we're here, aren't we? By all accounts, we both should've been 6 feet under a long time ago, and yet here we stand." She laughed disbelievingly, "Dancin' like a bunch of fools to a song you should've never been able to hear."

Bucky shut his eyes as Mia's hand splayed across his jaw, anchoring him in a moment of brief worry. In his mind, when things seemed too perfect, it was only because the Heavens were preparing him for an unrelenting storm he'd have to weather, and thus far, he'd barely scraped by.

But it was different now, he had to tell himself. With words of reassurance like the ones Mia was entrusting him with, how could he not give in to the hope he kept nestled between his ribs. Surely, this chance at happiness wouldn't be robbed from him.

Surely, this was his time for peace.

"We're here, and I'm yours for the taking," she whispered earnestly, sending a shiver through his spine. "And nothing's gonna change that."

Their eyes met, and their night unfolded under the stars as intended. They were both a little awe-stricken and dazed, but neither one could quite remember when they'd last been so painfully, painfully happy.

 _It's been a long, long time_.

X

 _Sabah al-khair_ – Good morning

 _Habib qalbi –_ Love of my heart


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes: Haiiiiiii my dudes! Hope you're all doing well, and Happy November! (even though I'm 12 days late wow this is embarrassing). So, there's some good news, and that's that my exams are going to be OFFICIALLY OVER this week! :'))))) Prettttttty much, this means that I can start writing a** _ **whole lot**_ **more and** _ **hopefully**_ **update every week (orrrr DEFINITELY every second week). You guys have been so patient with me, even when I went on random dry spells without any explanation, so thank you sosoososos much for that, m'loves :'))))**

 **ANDD ALSO, I completely forgot about the fact that it was the 1 year anniversary for this story until the absolutely wonderful** **L** **aVieBoheme87 reminded me, so thank you SO MUCH darlin! xxxxxxxx** **I seriously can't believe that you guys have been so awesome and stuck around this long, but it makes me unbelievably happy, so thank you :'))) Here's to another year .**

 **SO without further ado, I hope y'all enjoy this chapter. Have a wondrous week, and I'll catch y'all on the flippity flip :')))) Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 26

It occurred to Bucky at around 3:36 am that he would, for the first time in almost 70 years, be sleeping with a woman.

'Sleeping', of course, took on a very literal sense in his mind. His last time with Mia had been a too-brief encounter that had ended with him leaving before a full two hours had elapsed. But on this particular night, he'd gotten to experience an entirely different facet of life, one in which people enjoy one another's company without worry of time or duty. They'd talked well into the early hours of the morning, and would probably have continued to do so if Bucky hadn't noticed Mia's eyes drooping shut every few minutes. Reluctantly as ever, he'd encouraged her to fall asleep.

So, here they were; Mia's head resting snugly atop Bucky's chest, her breathing even and undisturbed. Strange as it may have seemed, Bucky took those moments to simply look at her in that state, wholly content and without worry of the world that surrounded her. The longer he beheld the sight she showcased, the stronger he felt the pull of sleep call to him. And while he _desperately_ wanted to give in, there was a problem.

In his months since escaping from HYDRA, he'd displayed a great deal of progression with his ability to fall asleep without awaking in a fit of rage or a nervous fluster. At the start, he couldn't last more than half an hour without the slightest sound jarring his senses to attention. But thankfully, as time went on, he'd grown more and more able to last a few hours of unbothered slumber. And whilst it'd been more than two months since his last unfortunate episode, it didn't detract from the fact that it was still very, very possible.

So, in his foolishness, he'd decided to resist the call to sleep for as long as he could. But given the rigorous operation he'd spent the last 3 days dedicated to, as well as the _tiresome_ evening he'd spent with his girl, his body yearned for a taste of true rest. And when 45 minutes went by of doing all that he could to stay awake with a warm body snuggled to his, the sweetness of respite was too alluring to resist.

His only hope was that he didn't wake to regret it.

X

 _ **Later that day**_

 _ **11:29 am**_

When Bucky awoke, the first question that crossed his sleep-rattled mind was _why on Earth_ there was a bright pink pillow under his arm. As his eyes wafted tiredly to the room he was in, it took him a long second to settle his confusion, and rather, replace it with the knowledge that he wasn't sleeping in his own apartment.

This was Mia's house.

He ran a heavy hand over his eyes before turning to see if she was at his side, only to find the rest of the bed empty. His brows furrowed as he leaned up on his elbows, peering into the walk-in wardrobe to see if she was hidden in there, but to no avail. It was as he swung his legs over the bed and groggily got up that he heard the unmistakable humming of a woman floating through from the kitchen, a sound that brought a small smile to his lips at once.

Mia had gotten up half an hour before, and had been so utterly floored by the fact that Bucky had slept at all that she'd decided to leave him be for a while. She wasn't naïve, and after studying little else for the last 4 years, she knew the difficulties that on-duty and ex-militants were known to have with regards to sleep. For him to feel comfortable enough to have some shut-eye, even for a short while, was something she didn't dare take for granted.

Mia's mission had been to uphold the tone of domesticity they'd been enjoying as best she could. After cleaning herself up, she'd managed to find the matching black tank that went with her silk shorts, and changed into it to seem just that _little_ bit more put-together. Her hair had returned to its naturally wavy state, and that only added to the homely vibe she was going for. At the present moment, she'd taken to the kitchen to have the fella' knocked out in her room awake to the scent of homemade _manoush_ , Arabica coffee and, of course, Nutella sandwiches.

Humming along to a song that was playing softly in the background, Mia didn't realize Bucky had walked into the kitchen until she saw him smirking at the sight of her in the morning (well, afternoon) light. "Hey, hey, hey," she said cheerfully. "Look who decided to wake up."

Bucky smiled softly as he looked to the various dishes set out at the table. "Got a whiff of some of this and couldn't stay away."

He walked towards Mia, who was smiling giddily to herself when she said, "Well, I figured, y'know, it's the first time you've stayed the night, which more importantly, means that it's the first time I get to make you breakfast." She tilted her head cheekily as she said, "Didn't wanna disappoint the boss-man."

Bucky smiled his usual lop-sided grin and flitted his eyes unashamedly over her state of dress. "Don't think that could happen."

Mia smiled mutedly and ignored her cheeks as they flared to an unhealthy temperature. When she turned to look at him, she knew the thought that was on his mind, and the reason he continued to dawdle near the comfort of the doorframe. "There are some spare toothbrushes in the main bathroom and some towels in the linen cupboard if you wanna freshen up."

He nodded. "I'll be quick."

She smiled. "I'm counting on it."

And quick he was. Within 10 minutes, Mia had packed away the unused dough and prettied up three plates of divine _manoush_. Freshly toasted bread sat alongside a bottle of Nutella, with two cups ready for a taste of the only coffee she liked to drink.

"This smells incredible." Bucky came to sit next to her at the table and took a moment to oversee the sight before him; a mouth-watering meal sat temptingly in the midday sun.

And, y'know, the food didn't look too bad either.

"It's nothing," said Mia with a smile. "But you should probably prepare yourself for another _life-changing moment_ in the form of 100% hazelnut-ty goodness spread on charred toast."

Bucky smirked as he saw the deceptively innocent bottle of Nutella. "I don't know, I think this one's gonna disappoint me."

Mia quirked a brow. "Are you doubting me?" She shook her head. "Are you doubting _Michele Ferrero_ , the greatest Italian baker _known to man_?!"

He laughed at her outrage. "I'm not puttin' my money on it, that's for sure."

Mia scoffed, because clearly this deranged child had _no idea_ the whirlwind of emotion he was about to feel the moment he got a taste of God's gift to mankind. "Just you wait, Henry Higgins, just you wait."

Bucky furrowed his brows, not bothering to ask who Henry Higgins was and why his girlfriend never quite offered logical thoughts in moments of…well, just in general, really. Nevertheless, he watched as she lathered the chocolate spread onto a warm slice of toast. She licked what was left from her thumb and smiled giddily as she gave it to him, her eyes watching him intently as he appraised it.

"Okay. Are you ready?"

Bucky rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "I think you're being—"

"Uh-uh-uh," she shushed. "No opinions until you've tried it, c'mon."

And so, with a sigh, Bucky Barnes brought the toast to his lips and took a bite…

…And he emerged, a changed man.

Mia leaned back in her chair as he stopped chewing, not needing him to say a word when his reaction was like _that_.

She would gloat regardless.

"Y'know, I _hate_ saying 'I told you so', really, I'm not into it. But…" She rested her chin on her hand and said smugly, "You just…you make it _so easy_."

Bucky looked at her and didn't say a word. Instead, he took another bite and maintained his silence for the entirety of the sandwich, partly because he was enjoying it, but mostly because he knew _nothing_ got a rise out of Mia like not acknowledging good food she introduced him to.

"Well?" she asked hastily. "You can't just eat it, I need an assessment."

Bucky grinned a little but didn't give in. "S'alright."

Mia squinted. "Alr… _Alright_?"

"Yeah, it's okay," he said, fighting back the urge to crack a smile at her outrage.

Mia's brows knotted. "…I can give you a minute to re-think your answer."

He shrugged. "Nah, I'm stickin' with it." When Mia was seemingly at a loss for words, he teased, "You got some shares in their company or something?"

Mia shook her head. "I don't underst—How are we supposed to be okay after this?"

 _Now_ it was getting tough for him to keep the gag going. Rather than having to look her in the eye, he took another piece of toast and began to spread a _generous_ amount of Nutella on it, leaving her more confused than she had been before.

"Wha…"

He took a deliberate bite and wordlessly urged her to continue, but the heroine of our story had caught on by this point.

"You're takin' the mickey," she shook her head disapprovingly. "Disgraceful."

"I'm not," he said with a small laugh, effectively breaking his cover. "I'm not. It…it wasn't all that, Mia."

"That's it?" she asked. "That's your final verdict?"

Bucky nodded, because hard as it might've been, he couldn't give her the satisfaction of yet _another_ new-world delicacy that he'd fallen for in an instant. Mia sat back and smiled knowingly, because there was no way in Hell he'd get out of this unchecked. One way or another, she'd get his admission, whether he liked it or not.

The two of them dove into the rest of the food she'd cooked up, laughing heartily as Mia told Bucky about _khaala_ 's reaction to her _scathed_ neck, and he did the same. They drank Mia's hand-filtered coffee, and Bucky was sure he'd never downed a cup of _anything_ so quickly before in his life. They sat in their seats for more than an hour and long after the food had vanished, talking about nothing and everything and basking in the normalcy of it all. By golly, mornings like these were hard to come by.

"It's probably Wilson," said Bucky as he checked his phone for an incoming call.

Mia sing-songed, "I think someone's missing you."

Bucky frowned. "Don't." Mia giggled maniacally to herself as Bucky picked up the phone, telepathically warning Sam that he better be calling for something important on the _one day_ he had with his girl. "Barnes," he answered sternly.

" _Damn_ , look who's bein' all official and soldierly in front of his missus," said Sam, prepared to annoy his teammate as _much_ as he could in the little time he had. "Bet she's got a thing for a man in a uniform, doesn't she?"

Bucky closed his eyes and shook his head. "What d'you want, Wilson?"

"That's it? No 'good morning'? 'How are you'? That's just rude, man," said Sam seriously. "And I'm not gonna tell you shit 'til I hear something."

Bucky sighed. "I'm hanging up."

"I'll call again," he gloated. "Don't think I won't."

Mia didn't know what Sam was saying, but it must've been _delightfully_ frustrating if it made Bucky glower the way he was. "What's he saying?" she mouthed.

Wanting to get this over and done with as quickly as possible, Bucky asked reluctantly and with as _little_ emotion as possible, "How are you?"

"Well, I'm doin' just fine, sugar. And yourself?" Sam asked sweetly.

"Fine," he replied through gritted teeth, ignoring Mia's muffled laughs in front of him. "You gonna tell me what you want?"

After spluttering out a string of laughter, Sam settled down and informed, "Alright, Ice-Boy. You've gotta come back in."

Bucky's face fell. "Are you fucking serious?"

"100%. "

Bucky let out a small breath. "I can't."

"Uh-uh, Captain's orders, Frozone. We've got a debriefing at 14:00," said Sam, loud enough for Mia to hear through the receiver. "You better get your pants back on and get to HQ."

As soon as Mia understood that he'd have to leave yet _again_ in the middle of their day, she shook her head at him pleadingly and said without words how much she wanted him to stay. Bucky swallowed and stuck to his guns, "I can't make it, Mia's leaving tomorrow."

Sam sighed. "Listen, man. I get why you wanna stay, but Romanoff's flying in from Capitol Hill for this. Cap wants a run-down before we head to New York…"

Sam kept talking and Bucky was listening intently as well, but it wasn't much of a surprise when his attention faltered as Mia touched his knee with her foot, her eyes glued to his bashfully. She leaned in slowly and brought her leg higher on his thigh, making him flinch a little and feel his throat go inexplicably dry. Of course, he could've stopped her when she rose from her seat and closed the distance between them, even moreso when she hooked a leg over his and made herself comfortable. Now in his lap and carding a hand through his hair, Sam's voice had faded to a murmur in the background, and Bucky wasn't in any rush to discourage her.

She brought her lips to the side of his jaw and lay an innocent kiss just beneath it, feeling his body relax and somehow tense at the same time. She smiled a little triumphantly when his vacant hand curled at her waist and kept her there, his grip on the phone slackening by the second. She shifted a little and felt him twitch, leaving another kiss at the corner of his mouth before saying softly, "Please stay."

Bucky shut his eyes and let out a sigh, about to tell Sam that regardless of how important this debriefing might've been, there was a far more _pressing_ matter at hand. But evidently, he was taking too much time to make a decision, and just as Mia heard Sam ask 'are you even fucking listening?' through the phone, she eased it from his hand and ended the call.

 _Simple_.

Bucky looked up at her and said feebly, "That could've been important."

"You're right." Mia's lips quirked into a cheeky grin. "Not as fun as this, though."

"No, it's not." And with that, Bucky leaned up to capture her lips in a kiss, holding her close as she shifted in his lap. Mia's hand clung to the collar of his shirt, knotting it in a fist as they moved a little faster still. Bucky's hands, both flesh and metal, held the back of her thighs and trailed along her legs as a strap of her tank fell down her shoulder. He diverted from her lips to her collarbone and made her giggle from the scruff of his jaw, feeling a new wave of nervousness as she held him tighter and leant her head back in open invitation.

If it weren't for the fact that his phone had somehow managed to sneak its way onto his lap as well, neither one of them would've noticed that it began ringing again. Mia was intent on ignoring it, and so was Bucky as his hand snaked under the front of her thin tank. She felt a shiver course through her as his cold left arm coiled around her waist and held her firmly, so much so that neither of them realized that the phone had stopped ringing.

…For about 7 seconds.

"Leave it," said Mia a little breathlessly.

Every fibre of his being was urging him to listen to her, but a nagging thought in his head reminded him that Sam had mentioned something about New York, and in an instant, he was reminded as to _why_ they were going there in the first place.

When Bucky halted his motions, Mia looked down at him with hazy vision and reached down for the phone, more than ready to give Sam enough incentive not to call back for a day or two. "Sammy, for the love of God, _why_?"

"Okay, first of all, it's rude to hang up on people, _Mustafa_ ," said Sam in his most motherly voice. Mia rolled her eyes and laughed despite her animated frustration. He continued, "And second of all, we need him to come back, kid."

Mia let out a long sigh and was about to dismount as she gave Bucky his phone back, but his hand no sooner pulled at her wrist in protest. Smiling chummily, she rested her forehead to his chest, now hearing the gradual decline of his heartbeat as he listened to what Sam had to say.

Bucky cleared his throat. "What'd you say this was about?"

"You'll find out when you get here. The Windsor safehouse. You have half an hour."

Bucky sighed defeatedly. "Alright." He asked, "Where's Tasha getting in?"

"The East Strip. Her jet lands in 10."

Bucky nodded. "Okay. I'm on my way." It seemed as though he was about to hang up, but the brightest of ideas sparked in Mia's mind, and she wasn't about to let Sam end the call without at least agreeing to her one condition.

Snatching the phone from his hand, she asserted, "I'll let him go if I can have him back by dinner."

Bucky looked at her a little wide-eyed, not quite used to her _demanding_ things, particularly when the 'thing' in question was _him._ Sam snickered, "I'm not making any promises."

Mia clicked her tongue, "C'mon, Sammy. That's more than 6 hours away. What could you possibly wanna do with him that's gonna take more than _6 hours_."

Knowing that that'd get a bit of a rise out of him, Mia laughed as Sam said, "Ey, don't do that."

"Do what?" she asked innocently.

"Make it sound all 'Brokeback' and shit. I don't wanna do anything with fuckin' Vladislav, everybody else does," he said defensively.

"So, you just wanna…spectate?"

Sam groaned and failed to start a coherent sentence before muttering, "I'm not doing this shit with you, kid. Just tell him to come, and you can have his dumb ass back by dinner." He continued fiercely, "And by the way, why's he the only one invited to dinner. What, y'all get jiggy _one time_ and you suddenly forget about everybody else?"

Mia shook her head. "Sorry, Big Bird—"

"C'mon, man," he complained.

"—You're gonna have to wait 'til New York. I promise I'll make you a giant plate of whatever you want when we're there, zero waiting period."

Sam _mph'ed._ "No take-backs?"

"No take-backs."

He hummed in agreement. "Alright, then. Y'all can procreate by 9:00."

Bucky's eyes widened as he listened in, but Mia simply thanked Sam and hung up before springing out of his lap and grabbing his hand to hoist him up. "I hate to do this, Sarge, but you've got a meeting to attend."

Bewildered, he mumbled, "Yeah, you seem real cut up about it."

"I'm not," she smiled. "This actually works out better. You go do your thing, plan missions, take down some foreign crime syndicate, whatever you've gotta do, and _I_ am gonna go get some groceries for tonight."

He quirked a brow. "So, you weren't kidding about dinner?"

She looked at him with unmasked seriousness. "I would _never_ joke about dinner." She grabbed the dishes from the table and said over her shoulder, "Hope you like Malaysian."

"Don't think I've ever had it."

Mia smiled, "Well, then, prepare your body and soul for what's to come."

Bucky nodded obligingly. "Copy that. Should I…bring something?"

"Nope, just an empty stomach." Mia noticed Bucky's hesitance in going and getting ready, because apparently this debriefing brought on a kind of nervousness in him that the others didn't. There was a slight unease in his eyes that only surfaced in moments of true reflection, and she could only wonder what had him in such deep thought. But rather than prying for the time being, Mia touched his hand and smiled softly. "Hey," she paused, "Whatever it is that you're gonna go do, just know that it isn't the end. It's just part of…all this." She shot him an earnest grin when he looked up at her. "It'll all work out."

And judging by what was ahead, he needed to know that.

…Perhaps now more than ever.

X

"So, wait…she's been talking about her graduation since _before_ Syria, and you…forgot about it?"

Bucky rolled his eyes at Nat's incessant questioning. "She didn't tell me when it was."

"You could've asked." Nat shook her head, "Her brother and aunt aren't just here to get some DC sunshine."

"And if Mel hadn't said anything, his dumb ass still wouldn't have had a clue," added Sam ever-so helpfully.

"Mel makes a better boyfriend than you do," declared Nat.

"Thanks," Bucky muttered. "Can we get to the part where you tell me why I'm here?"

At that moment, Steve walked back into the living room with a couple of files in hand and a worried look on his face. Sam sipped his coffee and mumbled, "This is gonna be fan-fucking-tastic."

Steve dropped the files in front of Bucky and Nat at the dining table, shaking his head and deciding there and then, "We've gotta tell Tony."

"Oh, dang, he just went for it," whispered Sam, effectively beginning his silent commentary for the remainder of the meeting.

Bucky's heart dropped as the words fell from his friend's lips, because of all the things he didn't want to do when they went to New York, having to meet Tony Stark was pretty damn high on that list.

"We don't even know if this means anything yet," reasoned Nat, referring to the files carded in front of her. Bucky opened the one closest to him and oversaw saw reports, photos and activity logs, all regarding one man that'd made his way onto their radar in the last few weeks.

"Strucker might not be a threat right now, but I'd rather know that for fact before another city gets floored, not afterwards," said Steve resolutely. "We can't go forward without Stark on this one."

"How do we know Tony hasn't already got his eyes on him? He knew about Syria without a satellite feed or suits on the ground. Germany's got both," said Nat.

"We took his plane, Nat. _Twice_ ," said Steve. "It was only a matter of time."

"So, what are you suggesting?" asked Sam.

Steve swallowed, his eyes flitting to the only person in this equation whose future would _gravely_ be impacted by their decision. "We go to New York, show him what we've got. If necessary, we engage. If not…we'll be glad we knew for sure."

"And when you say 'we', I'm assuming…" Sam tapered off.

"All of us," assured Steve. Bucky looked to his friend and felt a looming sense of helplessness as he repeated, "All of us."

Both Sam and Nat were clever enough to know when their presence mightn't be required for the time being, so they excused themselves to the next room. It seemed all too soon that Steve was sat in their place, his eyes scanning Bucky wearily, just wanting to know what troubled those thoughts of his. "You don't think we should do it."

Bucky looked at the colourless photo of Strucker clipped to the file. Here was a man that'd committed countless crimes and had a past that Bucky was sure he'd once been acquainted with. Strucker was textbook crazy, and that should've frightened him.

But the true cause of his fear sat safely atop Stark Tower in a city hundreds of miles away.

"I don't know what to think," he admitted. "But nothing good's gonna come from me seeing him."

"He already knows you're here, Buck," said Steve. "If Tony wanted to find you, you can bet a safe house like this wouldn't have kept him away."

"I can't," he said, his voice livid as distorted pictures replayed in his mind of a night shrouded by darkness, the roar of an engine, the sound of metal leveling wood. He'd been walking on a gravel road towards a car he couldn't quite remember. But the prayers for help that left the lips of a man he'd once known and a woman who remained faceless to him…

…He'd never forget that.

Steve reasoned, "We're on the same side, Buck. He knows what you've done since you've been with us, he's not unreasonable."

"They were his goddamn parents, Steve," said Bucky heatedly. "Reasonability has nothing to do with it."

"You don't know him," reasoned Steve, desperate to get his point across. "He'll understand."

"He shouldn't have to," he said with leaded words. "And I don't expect him to."

The room took on a silence of its own as they both quietened down, raking their brains for the best way to go forward. To Steve, it was simple. In the years that he'd known Tony, they'd had their fair share of differences. They argued and bickered, perhaps moreso than anyone else on the team. But when it came down to it, when push came to shove and there was a task to be accomplished, nothing would taint his objective.

Not even having someone like Bucky on the team.

"You should do it without me, Steve."

He shook his head. "That's not an option. And the sooner you realize that you belong in all of this, the better it'll be."

"Maybe in your world," he said quietly. "But…not theirs."

Steve got up from his seat and scooped up the files, making his way to the door and ignoring his impulse to march to New York at that moment and sort things out. But that wasn't what Bucky needed; what he needed was time to understand that this team they'd formed, this comradery they'd managed to rebuild over the course of months together wasn't temporary to Steve. Bucky needed to know his friend didn't consider his existence some neat Sunday comfort. Now, more than ever, Bucky had become a final piece of his old life, a reminder that though everything had changed, it could still be the same.

And regardless of the horrors that he knew Bucky relived of that fateful night upon a highway road, Steve was sure of one thing;

It'd be difficult, and rightfully so. But in the end, Tony would be there.

"I'm not saying it'll be easy." Steve dawdled at the door with his back to his friend. He spoke resolutely, as a Captain would, unwavering on his stance. "But I'm not doing this alone."

And in his voice, Bucky could hear exactly what he meant. It wasn't about Strucker or the mission. Hell, it wasn't even about going to see Stark. No, it was about the lifetime that they'd missed out on, one that they'd been promised when they were kids. Growing up and old by each other's side, battling everything with the faith that they'd be together. It'd been lost for so long, and now, in this twisted new reality, they had a chance to steal it back.

All Steve knew was that neither the Avengers, nor his mantle as Captain America would keep him from the future he wanted.

X

"You want duck feet?"

Mia shook her head, trying for the 3rd time to get the message across to the man behind the counter. "No, sir, I said _plucked beef_. Y'know, thinly cut beef?"

The short Vietnamese butcher looked at her blankly. "No sell duck feet. Must buy duck leg."

Mia shut her eyes and wanted to backhand the man behind her who kept 'accidentally' rubbing against her in the small, stifled shop. "Sir, listen, on Google it said that you have very good plucked beef, y'know, for a Malaysian dish?"

The butcher waved his hands in protest. "No, no, this not Malaysia shop. This Vietnam shop."

The noise in the shop and the creep behind her _finally_ gave Mia enough reason to say a brief 'thank you' before pushing roughly against him and making her way out of the butchery. She let out a deep breath and was sure she'd probably inhaled half a gallon of poisonous fumes in the dingy alley-side shop, muttering to herself as she walked down the footpath in search of another place she could find what she needed.

"Bloody Google, plucked beef," she shook her head. "That's the last time I choose convenience over quality, that's for flippin' sure."

Almost positively looking like a woman on crack as she talked to herself on her journey to the car, Mia decided that she'd have to drive more than 2 minutes down the road from her apartment to find some quality meat for her dishes. She ended up hauling Abu to the mall a few miles away, going through her mental checklist of groceries that she'd find along the way.

Within 45 minutes, she'd tagged and bagged all the vegetables, spices and hunks of meat she'd set out for, with her trip to the butcher resulting in a 5 minute explanation as to which dishes she'd be cooking for her boyfriend. Mia had talked excitedly and without taking a full breath as the charming old lady at the till entertained her enthusiasm, the giddiness of cooking dinner for him practically radiating from her being.

This would be another little milestone for them. He was coming over for dinner for the first time, and _boy_ was she prepared. As she got home, she rummaged through her closet and found a maxi dress that'd been ignored for too long, along with another little tib-bid she'd bought right after coming back from Syria.

Once the food was simmering and the house was tidied up, Mia sat comfortably on the ground and set out a paper towel in front of her, along with a glove for her right hand. It'd been more than a year since she'd put henna on anyone, but it was one of the few hidden talents she was really proud of. Not only was it a tradition for momentous occasions and celebration…

…But it also just looked _really fucking cool_.

The hours ticked by and before too long, Mia was washing off what remained of the darkened dye on her hand, leaving a gorgeously intricate design that trailed from the tip of her finger to just beyond the ridge of her wrist. It was another little part of her culture that she adored, and after she donned the maxi and straightened her hip-length hair, it tied the look together in a most lovely way.

"Ah, shit, shit, _mother of coconuts_ —" winced Mia as she quickly rid her hand of some hot oil specks under the cold water. She glared at the dish that'd violently attacked her and swore under her breath until she heard the buzzer sound. Shutting the tap off, she sped to the phone and answered immediately with a grin, "Hello?"

"I'm here to see a Miss Alfiyan," said Bucky with a hint of a smile in his voice.

Mia beamed, "Well, I'm not sure who you are, sir. My usual visitors don't even bother to knock before they come in, let alone call from the front gate."

"Thought it'd be good manners," he said cheekily. "Or would you prefer I scaled the fire escape again?"

Mia laughed before clicking the gate open, "Come on up."

In the approximately 2 minutes she had to fix herself up, Mia ran to her room to straighten out a few kinks in her dress and smoothed down the frazzles in her hair. She spritzed a bit of her favorite perfume on before giving herself a contented nod and hurrying back to the kitchen.

She'd set up a small table just in front of her charming balcony so they'd be overseen by the moon that twinkled that evening. A soft summer breeze filtered in, but when she heard the knock on the door, she felt her skin shiver for another reason entirely.

With a few steps, she opened the door and expected to see Bucky, but instead, was met with a stunning bouquet of flowers in front of a hidden face. "Oh my God," she gasped. "You… _wow_ , you didn't have to."

When Bucky lowered the flowers, Mia's expression promptly fell as she got a good look at him, a freshly shaven face with his hair slicked back stylishly. His eyes seemed brighter, somehow, and there was colour in his sunken cheeks. He looked younger…or maybe that wasn't the right word. But there was promise in his glance and mischief even in his soberness. It was as though, slowly, he was regaining the youth he'd once lost.

"Oh," she faltered. "Sweet Moses."

Bucky's eyes soaked in Mia as she stood before him, draped in a white maxi that looked almost Cyprian in nature and fell loftily to the floor. The colour against her bronzed skin looked striking, as did the slit that teased the inside of her left leg (he'd noticed she had a thing for dresses with slits, as well as breaking a man's resolve by wearing them on a near _constant_ basis).

But he sure as Hell wasn't complaining.

"Hi," he said a little boyishly.

"Hey," she smiled giddily. Bucky leaned down to steal a kiss while Mia was still somewhat in a state of shock at his new look. She took in the white formal shirt he wore casually under a navy blazer, matched with a pair of slacks. "I feel _severely_ underdressed."

"You're lookin' a dime, darlin'."

Mia promptly laughed and covered her eyes. "Oh, my God, you sound like every busboy in an '80s flick I've ever seen."

Bucky shrugged and said, "Sounds complimentary."

"Oh, it is," she assured. "Come on in."

She took the flowers from him and couldn't help but fawn at the gorgeous arrangement as she walked to the kitchen. He trailed a few steps behind her as she confessed, "I don't think I've ever gotten flowers before."

Bucky's brows furrowed slightly. "That doesn't sound right."

She laughed. "It's true. I mean, Freddie Carter stole some daisies from Mrs. Hinton's lawn in 7th grade for me, but…" she smiled charmingly. "These are a little better."

Bucky pocketed his hands and said, "Well, thank God I beat out Freddie Carter."

"Did he have you quaking in your boots for a second there?" she guessed smartly.

He nodded seriously. "I was prepared to go the distance."

The two of them let out laughs as Mia told him to go grab a seat while she brought the food out. He took off his blazer and rolled up the sleeves of his crisply ironed shirt, a borrow from Steve that he'd have to thank him for. Before he knew it there were 3 dishes laid out on a fresh white tablecloth in front of him, with the curtains blowing softly in the night air to his left. He watched as Mia quietly went about her motions, bringing out glasses and lighting a candle, a gesture that made her cheeks grow in colour for reasons beyond his understanding.

"How was the debriefing?" she asked as she placed down two cold drinks by each of their plates.

Bucky nodded. "Long."

She smiled. "Sounds like a ball." She gave him a napkin before clapping her hands together and clearing her throat. "Considering that it's 8:30, I think we oughtta' get started before the sun makes a guest appearance. So, Mr. Barnes, are you ready for some not-so-fine dining?"

Bucky smiled endearingly. "I sure am, kid."

Mia nodded and lifted the first lid on a steaming pot of noodles. "Okay, this one's called _mi ayam_ , it's chicken noodle soup with enough spice to break a rib or two."

"Wow."

"And this one's called _ikan bakar_." She lifted the top to uncover a gorgeously wrapped filet of fish in a quaint banana leaf, seasoned to perfection and surrounded by lemon and herbs. "It's pretty much just grilled fish."

Bucky's eyes widened just at the _range_ of vibrant colours that decorated each dish, let alone the fact that she'd spent the better part of her day actually making all of it for him. He watched, slightly awe-stricken, as she lifted the lid for the final dish and said, "And our last choice for this evening is _nasi goreng_ , or better known as 'fried rice'. I'd go into the science of it, but I think you get the jist."

Bucky shook his head for a few seconds before looking Mia dead in the eyes and saying, "You didn't have to go to all the trouble."

"Trouble?" she laughed. "Cooking's the one thing that I actually _really_ enjoy, this was the farthest thing from a chore, I promise." Bucky nodded reluctantly before Mia continued, "C'mon, no formalities. What can I dish out for you?"

And so the two of them began their evening meal with a strange sense of calm, sat across from each other and talking about things as though they were the last two people around to do so. The moment Bucky had a taste of the food she'd prepared, he had to admit to himself that adore her as he may, her ability to plate up a dish from 10 different ingredients played no small hand in his feelings towards her. Age old as it was, the key to a man's heart was still through his stomach.

"Did you talk to _khaala_ yet?" he asked as he dished out some more _nasi goreng_.

Mia nodded. "Yeah, she was over the moon. God, even on the phone, she just…sounded _so happy_. Said her and Zeyn are settled into the apartment they've rented and Arsala's a delight, so…I guess I couldn't ask for much else."

"When's your flight tomorrow?"

"Bright and early, unfortunately. It leaves here at 9:00am, so I'll probably have to be at the airport by 7:30."

He looked up at her. "Any idea how long you'll be staying for?"

Mia shook her head and finished her bite. "Honestly, I don't know. I told Nora that we'd be gone for a while, she's hired another college kid to help out for the summer anyway. And besides that, I don't know if _khaala_ or Zeyn booked tickets for Sydney or not, but…I guess I'll be back when they do." She dished out some more _mi ayam_ before asking, "What about you guys? Any idea how long?"

He shook his head. "All depends."

"On…?" she asked with a smile, but Bucky didn't seem to reply in kind. In fact, it seemed as though that was the moment during the night where he seized up, withdrew ever-so slightly. Mia didn't pay it much mind at first, but as their dinner continued and it became clearer that there was something weighing heavily on his thoughts, her concern only grew.

The pair finished off their meal after a while and moved their party to the couch. They splayed themselves comfortably, but try as he may, Bucky only listened half-convincingly when Mia told him about her program and the reasons it'd been held up. He nodded and asked a question here or there, but he found himself feeling increasingly sick, almost crestfallen. His thoughts drifted to the man he'd be meeting in the next 48 hours, one who'd just been a child when he'd lost everything he held dear.

Lost, and the blame rested firmly upon the shoulders of our story's hero.

"Buck?" asked Mia with a soft hand to his shoulder.

"Hmm?" he asked distractedly.

She smiled. "You still with me?"

He nodded reassuringly. "Yeah, sorry. What…what were you saying?"

Mia's face spoke only of worry as she put her glass on the floor and turned to face him, a hand on his forearm as she said, "Something's bothering you."

He shook his head immediately, "No, it's…s'nothing."

She looked at him warily and asked softly, "Who're you foolin', Buck?"

There were half a dozen ways he wanted to reassure her that nothing was wrong, that he was simply tired or sleep-deprived or just a little under the weather. But regardless of what he said, she just _knew_. And it was plain as day that she wouldn't press him for an answer, but her worry wouldn't waver by his sad attempts at appeasing her.

Neither one of them spoke for a while, but Mia knew she'd just have to wait. For someone with so much noise in his head, it was no wonder why things tolled him the way they did. And in reality, she knew that whatever troubles he harbored were likely far beyond her scope of help. But that didn't change the fact that sometimes, all we need is to have another living, breathing person hear the sadness that plagues our minds. Somehow, it makes us feel a little more sane.

When Bucky broke the silence, Mia didn't quite know where it would go. But clever as she was, there was no way in God's good Heaven that she could've known what was to be heard.

"I don't remember my birthday," he said quietly, his eyes glued to the patterns on the rug. He swallowed, "But I've never forgotten a life I've taken." Mia remained unmoving as he continued, "I never knew the people I killed. I just…followed out the order, no questions asked. But there was one…" he trailed off. "And I knew who he was the moment I saw him."

Mia felt inhuman chills graze her skin as he uttered his next words. And suddenly, the pieces fell into place.

"Howard was a friend. We'd fought alongside each other for months. I…I knew him, I'd seen him, clear as I'm seeing you now." His eyes filled with something akin to disgust as he said, "And when he saw me, said my name on that road, I recognized him." He turned his head slightly in Mia's direction. "And I killed him anyway."

Mia's grip on his hand hadn't slackened in the least, and she wasn't sure whether it was to comfort him or to anchor her own shock. Either way, she listened with as keen an ear as she could, and prayed silently that the burdens of his past be lifted from his shoulders.

"A kid lost both his parents on the same night. His…His whole fucking world, Mia. Gone, like that." He shook his head. "And they want me to see him, ask for his help. Go there, and make like nothing happened."

When Bucky grew silent for a few long moments, Mia asked quietly, "Does he know?"

He swallowed. "Steve thinks so. The files that got out, but…can't know for sure."

He shut his eyes and took comfort in the reprieve of the dark. Saying these things aloud for the first time was strangely taxing, perhaps moreso than freeing. Because now the truth had escaped his lips and floated tauntingly in the air around them. It was as though that memory was somehow made even more real. Now, no matter how hard he wished it to be, it would never be a forgotten story.

Surprisingly, Mia found herself in a foreign state of calm, because this was what she'd been doing for the last few years of her life, understanding the motions to follow when someone experiences grief. Her only strife was that it was _him_ , that someone so dear to her had to bottle the feelings he'd kept. She knew he thought of himself only as a lost cause, but the truth was clear to her. And just like Sam had told her the very first time they'd met, no one was beyond saving.

"Y'know, my father was a Muslim." Mia nodded as Bucky looked over at her. "He married my mom who was raised Catholic, it was really common back in our city. They were both pretty devout their whole lives, believed in all the stories that came with faith." Bucky looked at her curiously, clinging to her every word and waiting to see where it would take her. "But their favorite one was the story of Moses. Know about him?"

Bucky nodded and said quietly, "Part the seas."

"That's right," she said. "Everybody likes to focus on that part of it. But for some reason, my parents always told us about his life when he was younger." Mia shifted slightly to face him, her knee tucked under her, their shoulders touching. "Legend tells us that people throughout the land knew him to be pious and honorable. He was a man of his word, showed bravery and kindness. Was pretty charming too, from what scriptures write," she joked lightly, gaining a weak albeit real smile from him in return.

Mia swallowed as she narrated further. "But there came a time when he faced real hardship. He did something the people of the city couldn't believe he was capable of." Mia wet her lips. "He murdered an innocent man."

Not having grown up in a house that gave much credence to faith, Bucky was hearing this story for the first time. From what little he'd known of the Abrahamic prophet, he'd assumed only tales of valor and triumph over formidable foes. But the thought of a crime as heinous as murder attached to the name of a revered man was strange. Somehow, it felt wrong. Nevertheless, his interest only grew as she continued.

"The entire city erupted into chaos. They demanded his sentence to death, overturned every cobblestoned street in search for him. But he'd fled, fearing for his life. He ran and trekked and stumbled his way to a nearby town called Madyan, wanting to stay alive but knowing in his heart that he deserved death." She shrugged, "What else could a murderer possibly hope for, y'know?"

Bucky felt chills course through his bloodstream, seeing all too well the reflection of his own story in the tale she told so earnestly. Her words flowed, "He was lost for a long time, Buck. Didn't know what to do with himself, felt as though he'd managed to lose everything. His brother, family, his home. It was all gone, because of a tragic, tragic mistake." She smiled feebly, "But before too long, fortune and fate saw things change for him. And somehow, through means beyond our control, things started to look up."

Mia smoothed her thumb over the back of his hand and watched herself. "He fell in love with a girl from Madyan." She smiled shyly as she said, "It was a beautiful, beautiful thing. And they made each other happy, the kind of happiness neither one of them thought they'd get back."

Bucky felt his heart grow heavy at the words she spoke, almost as though they were the only two mortal who could know what it felt like to have lost hope. What she was saying didn't feel like a tale about a man who'd lived centuries ago. Somehow, it felt like a story that only he could understand.

"And soon enough, he was reunited with his brother, his closest comrade," she said knowingly. "He told Moses about the oppression that their people were suffering at the hands of a tyrant. And regardless of what'd happened, how much he felt like no one would forgive him for what he'd done all those years ago, he knew where he needed to be."

Bucky swallowed and asked quietly, "What happened?"

Mia's eyes softened. "He used the good that was in him, the good he thought he'd lost. He fought alongside brave soldiers, as well as ordinary people, all to achieve the same goal. And eventually, just like it always does…" she smiled. "Goodness prevailed."

As Mia curled her hand into his, Bucky let out a breath he felt he'd been holding onto since he'd walked into her home. There was honesty in her eyes and belief laced in her smile. Tale or history, she believed in what she was saying. And unmoving as they were, Bucky could feel the walls that surrounded his thoughts give way to rays of hope. Small, but undeniably lasting.

"I don't want you to think that just because your past was decided for you that you can't choose where you go from here," said Mia with certainty. "I don't think it's gonna be easy with Stark, and I'm being honest. But Buck, there are things that are bigger than either of you that you're working towards, an entire future that could be changed. And someday, he'll see that."

The two remained quiet for what seemed like an eternity, simply taking in all that had transpired and the gravity of what would happen in New York. Bucky thought about it, and he knew his mind wouldn't veer too far from it until he met Tony himself. But if the night had achieved anything, it was clarity. When he walked in to Mia's apartment, he wouldn't have guessed that a story that dated back more than 2,000 years would be a means for solace, and yet here they were. He looked up at her and cracked a smile that she returned in kind. His hand rested on her curled knee as he said, "Y'know, these days…I'm really wonderin' what I'd do without you, Mia."

She smirked. "You'd do just fine. Better than fine, might actually get more done," she joked. Bucky shook his head unbelievingly, and Mia brought a hand to his freshly shaved jaw, bringing his eyes to meet hers. "Listen…A lot's gonna happen over the next few weeks, Buck. And I wish I had a way of knowing whether it'll be good or bad. But either way," she said with guarded determination. "We'll be okay, you hear me?"

He nodded once. "Loud and clear, doll."

She drank him in for all that he was in that moment on a summer's eve. Charming and broken and hers, only hers.

"We'll be okay."

X

 **JFK Airport, New York**

"I'm so tempted to take an Uber instead of waiting another minute for you, Zeyn," complained Mia as she sat on a ledge at the entrance to JFK Airport. "It's been a whole hour, man."

"I went to the wrong terminal entrance, kid. It's not my fault this fucking airport's the size of Sydney and Melbourne put together," he said over the phone.

Mia sighed. "Well, just stay on the line so that—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Mia felt someone prodding at her shoulder, and sure enough, it was the fella' she'd been waiting for since she got off her plane that morning. " _Habibti_ ," he said animatedly as he engulfed her in a hug that depleted her of majority of her oxygen supply. As he let her go, Zeyn pulled his little sister's cheeks up into an exaggerated smile and said, "Cheer up, kid. I'm only an hour late."

Mia squinted childishly. "Y'know how many New Yorkers can push into you without saying 'sorry' afterwards in an hour? A _whole_ lot, Zeyn." She ran a hand over her ribs, "I'm 98% sure I've sprained a lung because of this one lady at baggage claim, _Jesus_."

Zeyn smiled and scooped up Mia's bags before nudging her to follow him. "Alright, alright. It's my bad for not being on time, but I had some things I had to do."

"Some 'things'?" she asked with a laugh. "This should be good."

Zeyn smiled to himself, because the reality was that this _would_ be good, but he couldn't tell her anything as of yet. However, the time would come soon enough. "How was your flight?"

"It was great, actually. I sat next to this old lady that was playing Tetris on her phone the entire time, and the flight attendant asked her to switch her cell off but she wouldn't. So, after 15 minutes the air marshal came and he had to forcibly remove it from her, it was kind of incredible."

Zeyn looked at her, slightly alarmed. "O…kay." He cleared his throat. "Right, that reminds me, did _khaala_ tell you anything about today?"

Mia furrowed her brows, "No, she just said you'd take me to the apartment and we'd go to aunty Arsala's from there."

He nodded. "Yeah, sounds about right." Within 5 minutes, the Alfiyan siblings had made their way to Zeyn's rental car, and Mia almost choked on thin air when she saw what he'd gotten stuck with.

"There are easier ways to retain your virginity, bro," said Mia through broken laughter.

Zeyn looked at her unimpressedly as he unlocked the car. "You're a fucking comedian." He opened the door to the lime green and pink-striped Prius that'd be his for the next few days. "I booked in a Corvette, and they gave me Dolores fucking Umbridge's weekend car instead."

By this point, Mia was laughing uncontrollably as she held to her luggage's handle for balance. "What the…wait," she wheezed. "What the hell happened? Why couldn't you get a Corvette?"

"Some idiot crashed it last 2 days ago. It's completely totaled now." He sighed mournfully, "It was either this or a tandem bike."

Mia covered her mouth to keep from shrieking with laughter at the thought. "This might be the greatest day of my life. My God, who broke the Prius news to you at the rental place?" At that, Zeyn's expression grew a little cheeky, and Mia knew exactly where this was going. "Okay, on second thought, I really don't wanna know."

"Hey, c'mon, you'll appreciate this. She was an absolute _dimepiece_ , I mean, good _God_. You should've seen her, Mia. I was losing my…"

As the Alfiyan siblings left the airport's vicinity, they entered onto the road that Mia suspected would lead them to their apartment building. They talked absently for a while before Mia began asking questions about the city, seeing as though Zeyn had been to New York four times while she'd never been at all. There were constantly conferences and international seminars taking place about martial arts entrepreneurship, and through that, Zeyn had managed to strike up some really solid friendships with a few of the most influential MMA managers in the country.

"This is a lot further than 5 minutes," said Mia when she realized they'd been driving for more than half an hour. "You sure you remember where the apartment building is?"

Zeyn nodded reassuringly and said, "I just have to stop off for something first."

Thinking nothing of it, Mia opened up the packet of chips she'd bought on the plane and simply soaked in the emergence of the gorgeously characterized city around her. The first thing she noticed that was different from DC was that the peaks of most towers stemmed beyond the visible cloud-line in the sky. There was a lot more greenery on the streets than she'd pictured, as well as stores that looked both colonial and brand-new at the same time. As signs began to appear of the CBD being less than 5 minutes away, Mia got her phone out to take at least 300 photos within the first hour of her arrival to New York.

If one thing was for sure, it was that she'd be falling in love with this city in no time.

"And, here we are," said Zeyn as he pulled up on a busy CBD street. He unbuckled his seat without so much as an explanation before hopping out of the car and making his way to the sidewalk. Mia watched him curiously and did the same when he gestured for her to follow him.

"Uh, I don't mean to be annoying, but where are we going, man?" asked Mia confusedly.

"You'll see," he offered simply. "Just follow me."

The two walked for 5 minutes, with Zeyn intent on reaching his destination as quickly as possible and Mia soaking in the ambience of The Big Apple. "Jesus Christ, look at how _massive_ everything is."

Zeyn smiled as he walked another 100 meters or so, before finally halting in front of, what looked like, an established boxing gym. The quaint sign on the outside said 'Royals Ring', and as Mia came to stand next to him, she asked, "Is this where you wanna train while we're in NY?"

Zeyn turned to look down at his little sister as she watched the fighters who were training inside. Her eyes followed the movements of their attacks and defenses from beyond the glass like a Grade A creep, but her attention was easily occupied when it came to things like this.

She'd grown up so much, but even in the last year that she hadn't lived in Australia, Zeyn knew he'd missed out on too many things. His trip to the States had done lots of things for him, but mostly, it'd put his priorities into perspective. Mia was such a constant source of happiness in his life, and while phone calls and Skype sessions mend the distance a little, there's nothing quite like having family at an arm's distance. The last few weeks had made him realize that if he did go back to Sydney, back to the way things had been and without his best friend by his side, he wouldn't last a day.

And so, he'd made his choice.

"Wow, they're good," she admired.

When Zeyn didn't reply, she looked up to see him smiling slightly, the strangest expression on his face. "Are you okay?" she asked with an unsure smile.

Zeyn nodded quietly, and Mia was about to turn her attention back to the fighters when he said the most bizarre string of words. "They're about to get even better."

Mia laughed instinctively, but when a long moment went by, she asked for clarification, "Wait, what…what d'you mean?"

Zeyn didn't say a word, rather, he smiled cheekily and waited for the coin to drop. Mind you, it took a lot longer to happen than he'd anticipated.

"I don't…I don't get it," said Mia, genuinely confused by the entire situation.

Zeyn turned to his little sister, about ready to divulge a secret he'd been keeping for the last 3 weeks and more than happy to be rid of the responsibility that came with hiding it. With a hopeful look in his eye and the excitement of a brand-new endeavor giving him all the confidence he needed, he said:

"You better get used to flying DC to New York, kid."

X


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes: Haiiiiii babes. Hope y'all are well, and my baddddddd for updating 24 hours after my usual time :')))))) Slightly shorter chapter but I wanted to publish it today instead of waiting another whollleeeeee week, so hope you guys enjoy! ALSO, wow, I'm sending the WARMEST AND MOST ENTHUSIASTIC HUGS Lulu14168's way, GURLLLLL I'm done. Thank you so much for taking the time out to write that massive review, it made me so stupidly happy and I'm just so chuffed that you're enjoying the story. AND GET SOME SLEEP! Anddddd dear Lord, what you're saying about the Aussie accent is 1000% so true, it's hard for me to convert her from the American accent in my mind sometimes as well :')))) Anyhow, you're a gem, and I appreciate EVERYTHING you said so so so very much xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **ANDDDD on that note, all the love in the world to you guys. Stay safe, smile at that cute person you really like and have a fan-freaking-tastic week, m'dudes. Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 27

"There's still time," said Mia. "If you're lying, or if this is some weird way to get back at me for turning your favourite shirt pink in the washing, please just tell me."

Zeyn laughed as he turned into another crowded street in the Big Apple. "Why the hell would I lie about this? Your lack of faith in me is kinda hurtful, kid."

"Can you blame me?" she deadpanned. "You told me I was being sent to boarding school in Jamaica when I was 12, remember that? You full printed out an itinerary and packed a suitcase, went the whole 9 yards." She said helplessly, "I had to see our school counsellor for _2 freaking weeks_."

Zeyn winced. "Yeah, alright, I get it." He shook his head and sighed as the car came to a halt amid the bumper-to-bumper traffic. "Y'know, I've…I've actually been thinking about doing this for a while."

Mia looked to him. "You have?"

He nodded. "When I heard about the DC attacks, I just...I just wanted you to move back. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to freak out, but I couldn't stand the thought of you here by yourself." Mia watched and felt a pang of guilt, because she hadn't actually considered how Zeyn might've felt when he heard half his sister's city was covered in debris. "Anyway, Antonio told me that there was gonna be a conference in Vegas, the one I came for. I told him that I didn't know what the fuck to do, whether to ask you to move back or just live here myself."

Mia smiled thankfully. "And what'd he say?"

He looked at his little sister. "He said Australia was sick of me, and that America's the only country stupid enough to let me in."

Mia's head fell back and eyes shut in laughter. "Yeah, sounds about right."

He shook his head unimpressedly. "I looked around in DC for some dojos that were up for sale or were waiting on expansion, but didn't find much. Eventually, I got in touch with the guys at Royals and their head coach, Frankie, said he was looking to branch out."

Mia shook her head in disbelief. "So, he wants you to open up a Muay Thai gym at his place?"

"Not just Muay Thai, he wants us to start a kickboxing centre in the space next to his," he said with a proud smile. "He said he'd had a bunch of guys who wanted to start training in kickboxing and Jiu Jitsu, but because his place only does boxing, all that business ended up going to one of his competitors."

Mia blinked slowly. "I literally don't know what to say right now. You're...you're gonna be running a kickboxing gym _10 minutes_ away from Times Square." She laughed disbelievingly. "You, an _Alfiyan._ A 25 year old kid, I'm…"

"Well, it's not just me," he said. "We're banking on a couple of guys shipping out here from back home, and none of this could've happened if it weren't for Ray pullin' all the strings."

Mia smiled. "Well, he's looked out for you since you were 15, it wouldn't make sense any other way." Mia thought to the man who'd gotten the two of them into martial arts upon their move to Sydney. He'd taken Zeyn under his wing and sure enough, he'd flourished. Hiring him to run one of the _dojos_ had only been the logical next step for Ray, and within 8 years, Zeyn had profited the company in more ways than money could count.

Mia put a hand to her brother's shoulder and could feel the idea begin to sink in. This was happening. But even still, she couldn't help but feel an inkling of sadness that he'd be losing so much because of this. "But what about all your friends, man? All the _dojos_ back home, the people, I mean…I just can't believe you're leaving everything behind to be here."

He looked at his little sister, and somehow, felt immeasurably closer to her than he ever had. The truth was that they'd just come so far, which was why it was so important to make a decision. If he didn't decide on it then, the opportunity mightn't ever fall in his favour again. "There's nothing to leave behind, kid. This is it." He covered her hand with his own. "This is exactly where I'm supposed to be."

X

"Miriya!" said _khaala_ as she hastened towards her newly arrived niece. "How are you, _habibti_? Wait, never mind that, did you see it?" she asked excitedly.

Mia hugged her aunt back and said, "If you're talking about the major secret you and your nephew have been hiding from me for a month, then _yes_ , I saw it."

 _Khaala_ clapped her hands in delight. "And?"

" _And_ , I'm only about 80% sure that this isn't a major prank, but _khaala_ it's...it's absolutely incredible." She shook her head and shielded her eyes from the sun as they stood outside their apartment resort. "I can't believe he's gonna be so close again. Just...yeah, I couldn't ask for anything else."

 _Khaala_ smiled as she went to hold Mia's hand, both of them sharing a look and knowing how important this was for their family. Mia wouldn't be alone anymore, and Zeyn had his best friend an hour's flight away. All was well.

"It was so difficult for him to keep it from you," said _khaala_. "But it was even harder for me to do so."

Mia laughed. "You did a great job, now all your secret phone calls and private meetings make a whole lot more sense."

"There was still so much paperwork and formalities to be completed, we didn't want to tell you in case it didn't happen," she explained. "Speaking of him, where is your brother?"

"He's just parking the car and bringing the bags up."

" _Khair_ ," she began. "I'll take you to our place, _eajal_."

The two made their way to the elevator at the base of the impressive building and went up the floors one by one. When they reached the 10th level, Mia was a little taken aback by just how fancy of a place her aunt had managed to snag, and that too, so close to the city. "This looks like a flippin' hotel, _khaala_. Where'd you hear about this place?"

"We were not booked here, but when I met Arsala and she heard where we were staying, she made the reservation herself," she laughed. "It was good to see her again."

Mia smiled. "Did you get to meet the whole family?"

"I did," said khaala as she unlocked the door to their apartment. "I have no doubt that you will enjoy yourself, Miriya. She has raised wonderful children, and her son-in-law to-be was very respectful," she said, obviously impressed. She swiped the card to the door and walked in like she'd lived there for years, seeming truly at home as she welcomed her niece in. "Here you are."

Mia looked around with unhidden awe at the _spectacle_ of an abode, complete with Roman architecture that canvassed the walls and the furniture. She dropped her bag near the door and took in the colours and space and beautiful atmosphere that the apartment held as the light filtered in from the curtains. "Sweet Lord, this is…"

"What in _God's name_ did you pack in here?!" complained Zeyn as he came hurdling through the door. He chucked the 4 bags she'd brought onto the ground and stood with his hands on his hips to catch his breath. "Did you leave _anything_ in your apartment? Or are you moving here too?"

Mia winced in apology. "Look man, I didn't know what kind of events we'd be going to. So, I just kinda…brought everything…to be sure."

He shook his head and went to get a water bottle from the fridge. "You could've just bought clothes from here, Mia."

 _Khaala_ agreed, "He's not wrong, Miriya. In fact, we will go tomorrow after you've met Arsala's family."

"When are we doing that?" she asked.

"They've invited us for lunch. They're very excited to meet you, Miriya. Some of them haven't seen you since you were born," said _khaala._

Mia smiled. "How many people are gonna be there?"

"Oh, not too many. Just another family or two," she shrugged. "A small gathering, really."

X

To ordinary people, and within the context of the English language, the term 'small gathering' usually refers to a couple of mid-sized families meeting one another at a barbeque or a small park. However, when put in the context of the Syrian community in Manhattan, 'small gathering' was indicative of approximately anywhere between 30 to 140 people scouring the lobby of The Residential Hotel.

"Lord…Almighty," gasped Mia as she set foot among the sea of unfamiliar faces. "Are you sure _this_ isn't the wedding?" she asked _khaala_ lowly, not that anyone could hear her among the lively chatter.

 _Khaala_ brought her arm delicately around Mia's and guided her towards the crowd. Mia was too busy taking in the entire setting that she didn't even notice when the guests began filtering into a large dining hall that'd been prepared with long tables and ample chairs. Zeyn walked closely behind them, he himself not having met Arsala's family and severely doubting whether he was up for the task of introducing himself to 140 people.

"Liliane," called a voice trailing towards the 3 Alfiyan's. "Ah, I was beginning to worry you'd lost your way," said a friendly voice in fluent Arabic.

 _Khaala_ turned around and unwound her arm from Mia's to walk towards the woman. Already, Mia could note the resemblance between her and _khaala_ , with cascading dark hair and striking features that were annoyingly well-proportioned. She had kind eyes, and regardless of the wealth she was seemingly accustomed to, there was a nuanced humility in the way she carried herself.

"The parking in this town is worse than Sunday mass in Suleymanieh, Arsala," said _khaala_ with a smile.

"Now, _that's_ not possible." The two women embraced before laying the customary double-cheeked kiss, with Arsala holding her hand and saying, "I'm so glad you could come."

"This is quite the event, _habibti_. I do hope that not all of these people were asked here to meet the children and myself," she said, her natural inclination to shyness coming through a little.

Arsala laughed. "Some of them, yes. But there are 2 or 3 families who we hadn't seen in too long, and this was the perfect excuse." Finally, Arsala looked past her cousin to the young, well-dressed pair standing behind her, and it was the only time in her life where she could recall feeling so utterly breathless.

" _Ya Khuda_ ," she whispered in disbelief. "It…it cannot be."

Both Mia and Zeyn's previous comfortability was replaced by nervousness as Arsala neared them. She first walked towards Zeyn, appraising him with an unwavering eye. She stopped in front of him and questioned softly, " _Ibn Yusuf_ (Son of Joseph)?"

Zeyn nodded once. " _Na'am, eimti_."

She took a step closer and hovered a hand near his face before lightly touching his cheek, her eyes filled with utter shock as she said, "You look so like your father."

Zeyn swallowed and didn't quite know how to respond, because it'd been more than 12 years since he'd last heard someone say that to him. He watched intently as Arsala's eyes shifted to Mia, before stepping her way and easily clasping a soft hand to her wrist. "And you, my dear," she said with a now watery smile. "It is as though Tanya stands before me, not her daughter in her place."

Moved as she was, Mia simply smiled dumbly and embraced Arsala as she wrapped her arms around her, placing a kiss on either cheek and holding her face lovingly. It was one thing she'd always adored about her culture. Misunderstood as it was, the place that kindness and affection held amid it all wasn't easily hidden, particularly when strangers crossed paths for the first time.

"I did not think you would recognise them, Arsala," said _khaala_ with a tap to her shoulder.

"I'd be a fool if I didn't, Liliane. They are as I remember their parents, may God rest their souls." She stood between the two siblings and held each of their hands as she said, "I'm so very glad we could see you. My son and daughter have been hearing stories about your family since they were little, but now they will finally get to meet the children of our dear friends."

Mia smiled warmly. "We must thank you for having us, _eimti_. And even moreso for going to so much trouble—"

Arsala – or ' _eimti_ ',as her 'aunt' status was affectionately referred to as – shook her head, "I will not hear any of this 'trouble' nonsense, _habibti._ My cousin was able to join me after too many years apart, and everyone has been awaiting Liliane's arrival for quite some time now. Having the three of you with us during this time will only add to the festivities, God willing. It is our pleasure, please believe me."

The 3 Alfiyan's looked to Arsala and then at one another, smiling contentedly and ready to be introduced to the dozens of strangers eager for their arrival within the hall. It was all a little new for them, but they'd be damned if they lied about how nice it felt to receive such a warm welcome, all those seas away from home.

X

"So, are you married?"

"Is there a lucky guy waiting for you back in DC?"

"Where are you working at the moment?"

"Is he Syrian?"

"What are your plans for marriage?"

"Is he even Arab?"

"What did you study in college?"

"Wait, he's not even _Middle Eastern_?"

"Well, don't let him wait too long to propose, 22 is kinda pushing the limits, Mario."

… _Mario? Did this old bat just call me Mario?_

These were just _some_ of the questions that Mia had to answer in the initial half hour of customary introductions among the crowd. As was expected, the topic of marriage and prospective suitors was _right_ at the top of people's agendas when speaking to her. While this kind of talk was pretty much the usual scenario she experienced, Mia found that denying the existence of a boyfriend just made things _immeasurably_ worse.

"Well, seeing as you're on the hunt for someone…"

"I'm actually…not looking for anyone right now—"

"I have a nephew who lives in Queens. His name's Ali, he's an accountant, I think he's about 39—"

Mia interrupted the 14th unknown aunt she'd been introduced to by saying, "Wow, that's—I really appreciate that, aunty. But I'm…I'm actually not looking for anyone at the moment."

The woman, who was short and plump in appearance, looked at her with unhinged shock. "Do you…not wish to be married."

"Oh, no, it's nothing like that," rehashed Mia nervously. "I just…I'm not really in a rush, that's all."

The woman shook her head and took out a blank card from her oversized purse, indicating that she _might_ be the lucky lady who held the mantle of 'community matchmaker' among the bunch. She scribbled down a name and a number and passed it to Mia before saying, "If you come to your senses, darling, this is his number. He is a wonderful boy, and I'm not simply saying that because he is family. He's funny, and you'll get used to the baldness eventually—"

"Okay, perhaps that's enough, Reyhana," said Arsala as she whisked Mia's arm away from the strangely persistent woman. "I'm afraid Miriya is being summoned elsewhere, but please help yourself to some _kibbeh_ while the food arrives, darling."

The two departed from the woman and Mia let out a relieved laugh as soon as they were out of her sight. "People are _seriously_ worried about my marital status here, I mean…I'm 22 and they're acting like I'm about to run out of eggs or something."

Arsala let out a hearty laugh and covered her mouth scandalously. "Miriya, you should know better than most that the norms of culture remain strong no matter which part of the world they migrate to. But do not worry. You are young, and your time will come soon enough."

Mia smiled and shook her head. "I bet you're happy that Mariyah's tying the knot early, though."

Arsala nodded and sat down with her at the head of one of the long tables. "Mariyah knew exactly what she wanted to do, and we couldn't be prouder of the man she's chosen. But had it been anyone else, I don't think I would've been so eager."

Mia nodded understandingly. "She hasn't come yet, has she?"

Arsala shook her head and checked her phone. "She was still stuck in traffic when I last called her. _Khair_ , she'll be here soon, not to worry." She looked at Mia affectionately, and it was clear that she was still getting used to having someone who looked so much like a face of her past sitting in front of her. "She's very excited to meet you, you know."

Mia fiddled with the cuff of her silk blouse shyly. "I don't know what things everyone's told her about me, but I'd hate to disappoint her."

Arsala's smile faltered as she marvelled mostly to herself, "You even sound like your mother's daughter."

Mia looked up at her and didn't know how to react. Throughout her preparation to meet Arsala, the thought hadn't once occurred to her that she might've known Mia's parents. For some reason, she'd assumed that her connection to the family was only through _khaala_ , but it would soon become clear that that was far from the case.

"How, uh…how did you know her?" asked Mia curiously.

"We went to school together, actually." Mia halted her nervous dawdling and crossed her legs in her fitted pencil skirt, listening keenly as they talked in private among a sea of chattering people. "I was 4 years her senior, but I was always…very fond of her, really." Arsala soothed down her locks that fell elegantly to her waist when she continued, "Everyone that knew Tanya was better off because of it. She was kind, intelligent…and she possessed this…innate goodness, I suppose you could call it."

Arsala smiled, now looking elsewhere and momentarily lost in a memory it seemed. She absently toyed with her ring as she said, "We were close, her and I, closer than she was with Liliane because of the different school she attended. But when I graduated and left town, we lost touch." She added forlornly, "I always regretted that." The noise surrounding them had all but faded into the background as she said, "And your father, well…" she grinned knowingly. "He was an entirely different story."

Mia's eyes widened fractionally in intrigue. "How so?"

"Yusuf Alfiyan could charm the riches out of The Queen of Sheba if given the chance, I'll tell you that much." Arsala shook her head endearingly, "The Alfiyan's were among the most respected families in town, and your father did well to uphold that as the eldest son. He truly was beloved, always too generous, as I recall." Mia laughed, because regardless of the short time she'd spent with him, it was enough for that sentiment to ring true. "He was 2 years older than I was, very handsome. I remember the kind of chatter the girls would indulge in during school, though I'm not too sure you'd like to hear it."

Mia laughed but insisted, "I've…I'd never known too much about him before he married _mama_ , so…I'll take whatever you're willing to share."

Arsala nodded understandingly. She paused. "I know they were taken from you too soon, Miriya. But you should be proud to be of their blood. They were both honourable people who lived their lives with dignity. I'm sure you know that, but…I would hate for you to forget it." She smiled at the daughter of her lost friend, and somehow, it seemed full circle to be sitting there with Mia, all those years later. "They left this world having made it a better place, in whichever way they could."

In truth, Mia wasn't sure she'd ever heard such kind and heartfelt words about her parents. For years, she'd thought the only surviving people who'd know them were her aunt, uncle and Zeyn. But finding out little details, seemingly insignificant things about who they'd once been meant more to her than any person in that room could fathom.

Mia added confidently, "I'm sure they were grateful for the memories you shared together."

Arsala smiled. "I'd like to think so, too. And now," she leaned in and touched Mia's hand softly, "They watch us from the skies."

Mia swallowed and simply basked in the thought, comforting and peaceful as it was. She hadn't even spent 48 hours in New York yet, and she'd already been lucky enough to have experienced so much. Regardless of what happened henceforth, she'd cherish that memory for a long time to come.

"Now, I think I've kept you from your guests for long enough," said Arsala with a wink as she stood up with Mia. "Let's see who you haven't met—Ah, you see the man in the brown corduroy jacket? That's one of our uncles. He's a joy, but mildly inappropriate, so please don't take offence. He's also a _little_ hard of hearing, so don't be afraid to speak up, darling."

And with a temporary farewell, Mia set off to speak to the tall man in the corner with a bag of sesame seeds in one hand and a clear glass of evidently too-strong coffee in the other.

 _This might be the most stereotypically Arab thing I've seen all year._

" _Masa'u al-khair, khaalu_ ," said Mia with a friendly grin. "I'm Mia Afliyan," she began in Arabic.

The man's face lit up as he beheld her and extended his now-empty hand. "Ah, _masa'u al-khair, habibti_? I am Waddah," he introduced before saying lowly, "I know what it is that you might be wondering, and the answer is 'yes'." The man smiled toothily, "I _was_ named after Waddah Al-Yaman, the most famous erotic poet of the 6th century."

Mia slowly stopped shaking his hand whilst trying to remain undisturbed by that little piece of information. "Wow, that's…" she shook her head. "Exciting."

He nodded his head proudly before asking, "And what was the inspiration for your birth name, _habibti_?"

 _I don't…who asks questions like these within 13 seconds of meeting someone?!_

Not quite knowing how to answer that, and ignoring the overwhelming instinct to just _walk away_ , Mia answered with a flustered voice, "Uh, I was named after a Royal of Genovia. Yes, uh, Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi."

Waddah nodded his head interestedly. "And is he the King of Granola?"

"No, it's _Genov_ —Yes," she succumbed. "Amelia is the King of Granola."

Waddah nodded fondly. "You were named after a fearless leader."

She nodded, wide-eyed, because the only thing that was coming to mind was Mia Thermopolis eating a greasy corndog with a hideous bucket hat on. "Yes…yes, I was." She cleared her throat. "How do you know _eimti_ Arsala?"

"Ah, Arsala is my sister's daughter. She's a lovely girl, as I am sure you know." He suddenly noticed her empty hands and asked, "Why haven't you eaten anything yet?"

Mia waved her hand, "Oh, I'm not really that hungry. I might grab something later."

He shook his head, obviously not too happy with that answer. He lightly touched her shoulder and said, "Come, we will feast."

Not really having any other option, Mia followed the man to the buffet table and was all the happier for it when she saw the gorgeous spread in front of her. There were people talking excitedly and the atmosphere in the room was so much more homely than she thought it'd be. A few other aunts came to join her as she stood and ate some snacks, making small talk and getting to know the new addition to their community.

It was only 20 minutes later that Mia noticed a bit of a commotion at the entrance to the hall, with people greeting someone excitedly and laughing as they walked through the room. Mia couldn't quite see who it was, but before long, the small group of people were making their way towards her, with Arsala leading them.

"—it's alright, you're not late, sweetheart. Food's only just been served," she said to the person trailing behind her. "There she is—Miriya, darling, I'd like to introduce you to someone."

Mia finished her last bite and threw the plate in the trash before walking Arsala's way. Zeyn and _khaala_ had emerged from their previous conversations as well, and were now standing face-to-face with the person responsible for their travels in the first place.

"Miriya, this is my daughter, Mariyah."

Mia's face broke out into a smile the minute she saw the woman in question, and it very truly was an instance where things just _clicked_. Before Mia could even get a few words out, the wavy-haired, bronzed skin beauty said with a dazzling smile, "My _God_ , it's about damn time."

Mia was promptly locked in a hug that all but choked the life out of her, making her laugh even more. She brought her arms around her relative and said, "You're telling me, I've heard so much about you."

Mariyah broke the hug but kept her within reach. "I think the first thing we need to do is sort out our names, I mean, this is gonna confuse the shit out of everybody," she said with a laugh.

Mia nodded enthusiastically, "Right? That's what I said! But please, call me Mia. Everyone kinda calls me that, y'know how hard it is to get your name pronounced right in a Western country."

Mariyah looked at her with wide brown eyes and plush pink lips. "I'm…I'm sorry, you're gonna have to repeat everything you say from now on, because the first time 'round I'm just gonna be dying over your accent, _oh my God_."

Mia shook her head shyly. "Don't worry, you'll get sick of it real soon when you don't understand half the stuff I say."

"I _highly_ doubt that," she reasoned. But before the pair could go off on a tangent like everyone expected them to, Arsala subtly reminded Mariyah that there were other family members and guests she had to meet. With a quiet reassurance that she'd be back soon, she left to greet Zeyn and the other 40 or so people who'd been waiting to congratulate her on her upcoming celebration, and the afternoon unfolded with ease.

Mia hadn't thought she'd enjoy herself quite so much in the time she'd spend there, but her expectations had been completely blown out of the water. Hours passed by and she barely noticed, and she found herself comfortable in the company that surrounded her. So far, New York had treated her well.

Unfortunately, it hadn't been nearly as kind to her beloved.

X

 _ **The following day**_

"Damn, it's good to be home." The man waited for the final piece of his armour suit to be removed from his body as he walked off the chrome podium in the middle of his sprawling balcony. "J, I trust you've been holding down the fort?"

"Welcome back, sir," said the surprisingly charming voice of Tony Stark's most beloved inhuman comrade. "I think you'll find I did a rather excellent job at safeguarding the Tower from imminent threats over the course of your two-day getaway."

"The threat of America's depleting supply of guacamole?" Tony quipped.

"There is nothing humorous about a vegetable on the verge of extinction, sir." Jarvis deadpanned.

"There is when it's something with a seed the size of a tennis ball inside it. Seriously, who decided avocadoes needed that?" Tony asked troublesomely.

"Someone with a higher paygrade than you, sir."

Unimpressed, Tony looked to the ceiling just as he always did when he felt like Jarvis' sarcasm settings were a little too generous. "I'm dialling you down to a 7."

"Sir, I respectfully urge that my 'Humour and Sarcasm' settings remain at 9—"

"7!" he said with a flourish as he walked into the adjacent room and raided the industrial sized fridge. As he found what he needed, he asked, "And where's the cute redhead hiding?"

"Ms. Potts is currently engaged in a meeting with the Secretary of State," he informed.

Tony quirked a brow. "Guess he's not that into me anymore. What's he on her about?"

"The usual, sir. Shall I recite it alphabetically or chronologically?"

Tony shook his head as he downed a quarter of the milk carton. "You'd think he'd get the gist by now," referring to the Secretary of State. "What'd he threaten us with this time?"

"Violation of international treaties and harbouring militarized weaponry designed for crimes against humanity," he detailed.

"…Well, that's a little harsh. Maybe I should send him a bottle of red."

"I don't believe that would make much of a difference, sir."

"How about a part-time masseuse to unjam the rod from his ass?" asked Tony.

"…Well, that might just do the trick, sir."

Tony wiped his hands on the tea towel in front of him and leant on the kitchen bench. It seemed as though, for the first time in too long, he had silence. After the 2-day reparation job he'd taken upon himself in an overpopulated city in Zimbabwe, it felt like all he'd heard for the last 48 hours was the sound of machines whirring, people shouting and goats bleating. But it had to be done, and once the local hospital, municipality and precinct were newly re-erected where they stood after his efforts, he knew he wouldn't have it any other way.

But there was something else that loomed in Tony's mind. Since the beginning of the year, the world had shown time and time again that regardless of the goodness in it, people weren't afraid to be labelled antagonists anymore. If it wasn't a plane hijacking, it was a city centre bombing in Chechnya, or a collapsing tower in Seoul. The attacks in DC simply served as another piece of evidence that reminded Tony how far they lagged behind, and just how much more ground they had to cover.

But it always seemed like the villains and the enemies were one step ahead. Harsh as he was on himself, Tony couldn't remember the last time he'd gone a single day without hearing of some tragedy taking place around the world. Any rational man would've pinned that down to fate or kismet or destiny. But for Tony, it was something that was always brought back to him. It was another opportunity where he could've helped, but he didn't. Another life that could've been spared, but wasn't. And it wasn't fair to him, but in his mind, he didn't have the luxury of dismissing responsibility.

He knew that there would come a time where he'd have to take action. He wasn't sure how, but some way, this had to change. Threats would have to be neutralised before lives were lost, and capable as he was, he knew this wasn't a one-man job. He would need to enlist the help of those he trusted most, no matter the differences they may have had in the past. And that required compromise, but if it meant attaining his ultimate goal, helping the helpless, then there wasn't much he wouldn't do.

"Sir," interrupted Jarvis. "It appears your guests have arrived."

Tony opened his eyes. He knew who'd come knocking, and he knew exactly why they were there. He felt his breathing quicken and the thoughts that weighed down his mind grow heavier still. But there wasn't time for that right now, he told himself. He needed to exude strength, power. Because this was it. It was time to face his past.

"Send 'em up."

X

Bucky looked around the stylistic elevator as it hastened them to the top floor of the Avengers Tower, their ultimate destination. He'd known this moment was coming, but it didn't help the nerves that wreaked havoc in his stomach, nor the incessant rattling in his brain that kept him from having any coherent thoughts. Steve stood in front of him, the same worried look on his face that'd been there for the past few days. This was perhaps more difficult for him than it was for either Bucky or Tony, because he ran the risk of losing not one, but two of his dearest friends.

And he didn't quite know how he could live his life without either one.

As the elevator _dinged_ and the doors threatened to fall open, Steve took one last look at his oldest comrade. He clutched a hand to his shoulder and reminded him, "This is the right thing, Buck."

He let out a small sigh and shook his head. "This doesn't end well, Steve. For either of us."

"You don't know that," he reasoned.

"I do," he said resignedly. "I do."

The doors to the elevator opened to reveal a sinfully lavish spread, fixed with all the luxuries that money could grant. A freshly varnished grand piano sat as the centrepiece of the penthouse-styled setting, with sleek walls and a glass staircase overseeing the entire view. The afternoon sun was fading beyond the roof-length windows, with orange light reflecting all that shined before them. Bucky had never seen anything like it, but he hardly had the time to admire it, because before too long, a voice broke the heavy silence.

"Y'know, I've been tryna find this goddamn remote, one of those universal ones, you know the kind," came Tony's booming voice as he sullied his way down the staircase. Both pairs of eyes fixed on him as he said, "It was brilliant, I couldn't go a day without it, y'know. Used it for all sorts'a jazz, the TV, the servers, even the coffee machine. Important stuff."

Bucky simply stared at his friend's – his mission's – son, a spitting image of Howard in so many ways, not least of which in the manner he spoke. He continued, "So, I looked around for a good long while, but the stars decided it wasn't the right time. I was okay with that, came to terms with the fact that it wasn't around anymore. I was goin' alright."

Tony came to a deliberate halt at the base of the stairs, his hands in his pocket and his eyes avoiding Bucky's like the plague. His voice lowered, "So imagine my surprise when I find it in the trash, completely mangled, pummelled to pieces." He shrugged tiredly, "There might as well've been blood spewing from the buttons—"

"Tony—" tried Steve.

"—it wasn't an accident, oh no." Tony's eyes remained unmoving, robotic. "No, somebody did that. They…they made a choice." He nodded to himself, his demeanour that of an unhinged soldier. "Can you believe that?"

Neither Steve nor Bucky moved an inch as they stood before the only surviving Stark. His gaze felt unforgiving, even though it wasn't directed at either of them. Through the vacancy that Tony's eyes held, Bucky was resigned to the fate he'd be dealt. But regardless of that, Steve held out hope that things could be different. Somehow, they'd be okay.

"Captain," Tony finally looked from the floor to Steve and said brashly, "You seem a little defensive."

Steve swallowed. "It's been a long time coming."

"Ah," he nodded, scratching the scruff on his jaw and simply coming out with what he wanted to say. "You see, _this_ ," he pointed between the two of them, "I can't do this."

"This isn't what you think it is, Tony," warned Steve.

"Isn't it? Because I _think_ you're out of your goddamn mind, Rogers." Tony stepped towards him and muttered with glowering eyes, "There's not a thing you could say, Steve. Not a _thing_ that would change this."

Steve sighed. "We're not trying to change anything."

"Oh, yeah?" He laughed without humour, "Then what is this, Cap? Why are we here?" He pointed at Bucky without looking at him, "Why the fuck is he here, Steve?"

"Because this needed to happen."

"See, that's where you're wrong," he said resolutely. "If I wanted this, it would've happened the minute he got back from Aleppo." Bucky's ears pricked at the thought of how long he'd known about his existence in Steve's life. "I spared his life by staying away, for your sake." Tony kept his eyes on Steve as he said lowly, "But if he's not outta here in the next minute, I swear on my mother's grave, I'll put a hole in his heart before he remembers his own goddamn name."

"Tony—"

"Don't you ever, _ever_ think that you can come back here again," he warned Bucky with ice in his words. "I will kill you."

And with that, Tony turned to retreat towards the staircase, his hands shaking ever so slightly and the crazed look in his eye fuelled to exhaustion. Steve knew better than to reason with him when he was in that state, and so he started his way to the elevator. Bucky followed for a second or two, but he knew his truth. If this really was the last time he'd be seeing Tony Stark, there was something he needed to say.

"He called for you, y'know," said Bucky lowly, but clearly enough that Tony stopped in his tracks. His back was turned still turned to Bucky, but his ears strained to hear his words over the thunderous beating in his chest. "He said your name…he told me he had a son." Bucky's voice faltered traitorously, "You were his last word."

Just for a moment, Tony entertained the thought, the outlandish idea in his head. He envisioned his father remembering him – _him_ – in his final moments, before Death had parted them. The notion that Howard Stark hadn't spent his last breaths devising a strategy or being tactful was foreign. Stranger still was the dangerous thought that he'd parted from the Earth with a name, a person in mind.

And of all the things in the world he could've chanced to be his last memory, he'd chosen a boy, one who'd spent his youth convinced that he lived in the shadows, away from his father's thoughts, utterly forgotten.

Tony's reverie was broken by a voice that grew quieter, almost ashamed. "They didn't deserve their end." Bucky's eyes stayed firmly on the ground, which is why he didn't notice when Tony turned slowly to face him. "It should've been me in their place."

And without another breath, Bucky joined Steve in the elevator, his thoughts roaring and his body willing the noise to be quiet. The memory replayed in his head like a broken record, over and over and over.

 _My_ , how he craved an infinite silence in that moment.

X

 _Khair_ – Well

 _Eajal_ – Hurry

 _Ya Khuda_ – Dear God

 _Eimti_ – Aunt (another way to say 'aunt', rather than saying ' _khaala_ ')

 _Masa'u al-khair_ – Good afternoon

 _Khaalu_ \- Uncle


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes: HEYOOOOOOOO! Customary apologies for the late update, but I tried to make it up by adding a few thousand words :'))))))) Hope you guys are doing well and celebrated December 16** **th** **with all the merriness it deserves :')) Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 28

"Okay, wait a second," said Mariyah with no small amount of disbelief. "You mean to tell me that you've never, _not once_ , had a Twinkie?"

Mia sipped on her too-sweet caramel milkshake. "No, okay, I haven't ever had a Twin—Stop looking at me like that," she laughed.

"Uh, I'm gonna keep looking at you like this until you give me some kind of explanation as to _why_ you've let this injustice go on," she said seriously.

Mia _hmph_ 'd. "Look, it's not my fault, the only place they sell them in Australia are those shifty American stores that have candy that's been sitting there for 4 years."

"But you've been in the States for _an entire year_ ," Mariyah said in outrage. "You never thought to have enough human decency to buy a single Twinkie in the last 365 days?!"

Mia shook her head defiantly. "Uh-uh-uh. You can't talk, you've never had a Tim Tam, _you're_ the one inciting crimes against humanity here."

"It can't be that good, I've never even heard of it," teased Mariyah, figuring that it'd get a rise out of her relative. She and Mia had barely had time to talk during the previous afternoon's lunch at The Residential, so they'd decided to meet up for dinner the next day. The two girls had started off by making small talk and exchanging pleasantries, but after 3 hours of _Lord knows what,_ had somehow ended up at a nearby corner store with a bill for $63.55. They now sat on the steps of a local library, chowing away and enjoying the summer night while it lasted.

"—it was completely typical, it's actually cringeworthy," said Mariyah a little shyly.

Mia tapped her knee, "C'mon, I think I'm the only one in the whole flippin' community that doesn't know how you met him."

She finished off her Coke and sighed. "Well, we kinda knew his family from beforehand. Y'know how it is, everyone knows everyone. Anyway, I'd met him once when I was 16 at someone else's wedding. It was pretty brief, he took the last piece of lasagne, and I maybe _sorta_ cursed out his whole family," she said with a laugh, her cheeks growing a little red as she remembered the ordeal. "Never knew his name, didn't know where he was from, and didn't think about him for about 4 years."

As hopeless a romantic as she was, Mia listened with wide eyes and a perpetual smile. "Don't tell me you guys met at a bookstore or something, because I'm gonna freak out."

Mariyah shook her head solemnly. "Worse." She sighed, "We met at a coffeeshop."

"No," whispered Mia.

"Yes," she admitted with a wince. "And you know what's even more awful?"

"Don't you dare say you were the barista," Mia said, feeling the onset of a gooey-love-story overload about to settle in.

Mariyah leaned in and confessed, " _He_ was the barista."

"I'm going to _pass the fuck out_ ," Mia gasped. "Was Nicholas Sparks narrating the entire encounter by any chance, or…?"

Mariyah shook her head and laughed. "More like his boss was yelling at him 'cos he got the third order in a row wrong. He was falling behind and the morning rush was almost over, but somehow my drink kinda got lost among all the names." She smiled fondly, "I waited about 15 minutes for a small cappuccino, until _finally_ he saw me sitting there like an idiot waiting for a train."

"Did he recognise you?"

"Not at first, and I didn't recognise him either. His shift was over, but when he realised that he'd forgotten to make my drink, he was _determined_ to buy me one from someplace else," she smiled. "It took him 5 minutes to convince me, but somewhere between all his apologising and explaining, my dumb ass _finally_ noticed that he was kinda gorgeous."

"Oh, my God," squealed Mia.

"So, anyway, we went to the coffee shop next door and got to talking. I didn't plan on sticking around because I had class, but 10 minutes became 20 minutes, and then eventually, we stayed there 'til lunch time without even noticing." Her eyes grew warm as she replayed their first encounter in her head. "We talked about everything. He told me what he wanted to do after college, where he wanted to work and all that. And eventually, we made the connection that we knew each other from somewhere, even that took a long while to figure out. But once we did…" she shrugged, "I guess we just kinda knew."

Now well and truly reduced to a puddle of feels, Mia croaked out, "When'd he propose?"

"Our families met up pretty soon after, and they knew what the deal was from the get-go. You know Syrians, marriage is the _only_ thing that never leaves their mind," she rolled her eyes.

Mia snickered, "Tell me about it."

She ran a hand through her thick, wavy locks. "We went out on a few more dates, got to know each other, had a _major_ argument," she recalled with a laugh. "And I just…I don't know, I just knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life fighting with him. Nobody else."

Mia let out a small breath to compose herself. "I'm gonna combust."

"Please don't. I've finally got a family member I actually _want_ to hang around. Don't ruin this for the both of us," she smirked.

"I'm just…I'm so happy that it worked out." Mia shook her head, "I feel like it's so tough to find good people these days, who come from decent families. And the way you both did it, you got your parents involved and their blessings from the beginning, and now look at you guys." She smiled from ear to ear. "You're gonna be married before the first week of autumn."

Mariyah leant her head onto the stair behind her. She wet her lips, debating whether or not to divulge something before finally saying quietly, "I'm scared, y'know. I'm…I know that this is it, that this is what I want…but I'm just worried that I won't meet his expectations."

Mia's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I'm 21 years old, Mia. I've lived with my parents my whole life, I've never stepped foot outside of the country, and I have _zero_ experience with most of the things that young brides are supposed to be good at." She sat up and listed, "Look, don't…don't tell anyone, but…I can't stuff a turkey. Okay? I can't roast a turkey, I can't barbecue a turkey, _none of it_."

Mia paused. "…Are turkey-related skills mandatory for marriage, or…?"

She shook her head. "I just mean that these are normal things that I should know by now, and I don't. What's gonna happen when he expects me to do things that his elder sisters or his mom can do, hmm? Like make food for hundreds of guests or throw giant parties at our house? There's no way he won't be disappointed when he realises I'm pathetic at _all_ of it."

Mia hadn't even thought about the nerves that Mariyah would be facing right about then, and truth be told, they were all warranted. She wiped her hands on a napkin and turned to fully face her, ready to lay down her opinion, which was, frankly, the most sensible one. "Can Saleh fix the exhaust on your car?"

Mariyah furrowed her brows and thought for a moment. "No, he…I don't think so."

"Can he fix the pipe in the bathroom sink? Re-do the plumbing? Build a shed from scratch?"

Mariyah shook her head. "I don't know that he can."

Mia nodded and said confidently, "See, what you're doing is being _way_ too hard on yourself. Sure, there are some things that us sheilas' really wish that we could do. And I know you don't like the fact that you can't cater for a party of 200 people, believe me, I get it." Mia clutched her forearm. "But we're not supposed to have it all figured out, kid. Not just yet. You're 21 _fucking_ years old. At your age, most of America's population's out there getting high, getting wasted, or getting pregnant." Mia shrugged, "You're good for at _least_ 2 of those."

Mariyah laughed and looked at Mia unsurely. "I know, but still…"

"But _still_ , you have a whole lifetime ahead of you to figure out how to do these things. And it might not be today or tomorrow, but eventually, you'll learn how to roast the best fucking turkey this side of the border's ever seen." Mia nudged her shoulder as they both laughed. "But right now, you're focusing on the wrong thing, babe. You're getting _married_ , you're gonna build an entire future with this guy, and trust me, it's not gonna be based on your outstanding ability to cook for angry old Syrian women."

Mariyah took a moment to let her words sink in before nodding understandingly, seeing sense in all that she said. "It's just really been stressing me out."

"Don't let it, Mariyah. Don't let all the things you _can't_ do ruin this experience. Saleh saw something in you, and it was more than your potential skill-set as a wife. It was _you_ , your dreams, likes, dislikes, your charm." She waved a hand dismissively. "Everything else is just noise."

Mariyah looked up at her relative with grateful eyes and said, "Where the hell have you been for the last 20 years, man?"

Mia smiled cheekily. "Writing down this speech, 'cos I knew it'd come in handy someday."

Mariyah laughed. "That's not a good enough excuse. But I'll let it slide if you tell me about the thing you've been dodging the entire night," she said knowingly.

Mia grinned. "And what's that?"

"Who's the guy?" she asked straightforwardly. "And before you even try to deny it, _khaala_ already let it slip that you were off the market when some random aunty started recommending her son for you."

Mia shut her eyes and groaned. "Jesus _frick_ , why is everyone in this city so desperate to get me impregnated?!"

"Because you're a fresh piece of fine ass meat that's in her prime child-bearing years," Mariyah explained nonchalantly.

"That was so gay," said Mia. "I like it."

"Don't avoid the question by flattering me, _c'mon Mia_ ," she pleaded. "Is he a Republican? Is that it? Does he support some alt-right nationalist party?"

"Nah, I dumped that guy a few months back," she deadpanned. "He was into some freaky shit, was _obsessed_ with toes—"

"I'm just gonna call _khaala_ and ask her instead—" Mariyah threatened as she reached for her phone.

"Alright, alright, hey, let's not do anything crazy." Mia sighed and thought _to hell with it_. "He's not a Republican, he actually hasn't voted in…a long time. Anyway, we've been going steady for a while, but I just didn't wanna bring it up in front of everyone at the lunch 'cos they'd ask about 54 questions before I could even finish a sentence."

Mariyah clapped her hands excitedly. "Alright, so I'm guessing he's not Syrian?"

Mia laughed. "Not even close."

"Yank?"

"Yep."

She nodded. "What does he do?"

"Uh, well, he mostly does government contracting. Y'know, analytics, data collation, all that fun stuff," she shrugged.

"Ah, okay. And, name…?"

Before Mia could yell out the name she'd come to love so much, she checked herself and figured it'd be better – and less conspicuous – if she went with something a little more common than 'Bucky'. "James. His name's James."

Mariyah smiled. "You realise _everyone_ in the community's gonna call him 'Yaqub', right?" referring to the closest Arabic equivalent of his name.

Mia nodded. "Don't I know it."

"Okay, no more delaying it, _how did you meet_?"

Mia made herself comfortable while Mariyah reached down to open a new packet of chips. "Well, we ran into each other at college, actually—"

Before Mia could go on, she was interrupted by the blaring sound of her ringtone. With a brief apology, she noted Bucky's name as the Caller ID and answered with a smile, "Hey, stranger."

"Mia," said an oddly tired-sounding Bucky. He asked in a heavy voice, "Where are you?"

Her heart dropped a little when she caught note of his unusual reply. "I'm…I'm in the City. Hey, is, uh…is everything okay?"

He paused for a moment before letting out a deep breath, almost as though he'd been holding it in since the start of the call. "I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Are you…ehm, are you alright?" asked Mia softly. "Where are you?"

She heard him laugh quietly, without a shred of humour. "I have no fucking idea."

That wasn't what Mia wanted to hear at all, and judging by the fact that she hadn't heard him like that since he'd met her all those months ago at the tournament, she knew there was something _severely_ wrong. "Message me the street you're on—"

"Mia, stay where you are—" he tried to reason.

"I'm on my way," and with that, Mia cut the call before crinkling all the wrappers in her lap and throwing them in the trash. "I'm so sorry, hun. But I'm gonna have to get outta here, something's come up."

"Yeah, of course," said Mariyah assuringly. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah, absolutely. It's just Bu—James, he needs me to bring over some stuff for a project in town," she lied as convincingly as she could. "But man, I've had the best time tonight, honestly."

Mariyah smiled and got to her feet to straighten up her clothes. "That makes two of us. I just still can't believe that you're finally here after hearing stories about your family since I was in the womb," she laughed.

Mia smiled, and though she hadn't known about Mariyah until 2 weeks before they'd met, she knew they were edging on something special. "I've got a good feeling about this. Oh, and that reminds me, what are we?"

Mariyah squinted in confusion. "…I don't understand the question."

"I mean, are we cousins, second-cousins, are you my _uncle_?" she asked seriously.

"I think we should just stick with cousins. Simple, easy to remember. And besides, when you're ethnic, _everyone_ is everyone's cousin, y'know?"

Mia nodded understandingly. "You speak the truth." She picked up her bag and felt her phone _ding_ with a text message, sure that it was Bucky reluctantly sending his whereabouts to her. "Just give me a call when you're not bogged down with wedding prep and we'll do something, catch a movie, maybe eat shitty hot dogs or something."

Mariyah nodded excitedly. "Actually, some of my girlfriends wanted to have a night out one of these days. So when we set a date, I'll let you know. _And_ , if your mister's still in town, you have to bring him as well."

"I'll try my best, kid," said Mia as she leaned in for a hug. "Tell your ma I said hi, and get home safe, alright?"

"You too, and hey," she said as Mia took a step away. "I'm really happy you're here."

Mia smiled and felt warmth at those words, "So am I."

They parted ways, both with content grins on their faces, until Mia's thoughts drifted to why she'd heard the broken voice of a Bucky she hadn't recognised. He sounded so different, dazed, almost. And that in itself gave her the heaviest of hearts as she made her way to the address he'd given. It wasn't familiar to her, but for him, it'd once been home.

X

After half an hour, Mia stepped out of the cab and paid the driver before toeing onto the sidewalk, the street littered with dim lampposts and fallen leaves. There weren't many people about, with quiet apartment buildings packed densely against one another, both old and new. Mia looked around for a familiar face along the foreign street, but it wasn't until a quiet voice spoke from behind her that she no longer felt alone.

"You didn't have to come, Mia."

She turned on her heel to see Bucky with his face hidden by a tight baseball cap and covered in dark clothing from head to toe. She felt a pang of hurt when she caught glimpse of his eyes, red and swollen, and somehow dreadfully unnatural to the person he'd become.

She reached a hand to his forearm and asked softly, "What happened, sweetheart?" She shook her head, "Why are you here?"

He brought his eyes to meet hers and paused, before turning to the lavish apartment building ahead of them. "They preserved Steve's old place as a National Heritage Site," he said tiredly. "Don't know why I thought mine would still be around."

Mia saw the building with fresh eyes and couldn't believe that he'd once lived there, that the few memories of his youth he'd managed to savour had played out in hallways and rooms that'd been long demolished. Now, in their place, stood a 4-star block that'd been reconstructed and renovated to High Heaven, and just like she'd stood heartbroken in front of her ruined home in Aleppo, so did he.

He sat down on the sidewalk defeatedly, taking comfort in the quiet of the street. She sat beside him, with their knees touching, wanting to know what happened but knowing better than to pry. In time, he'd say what he needed to say.

After minutes passed by, he muttered, "I met him today." He paused. "Looks just like his old man. Talks like him too." He shook his head, almost as though he was disappointed in himself. "I don't know what the fuck I was expecting."

Mia couldn't help but feel a little guilty, because after all, she'd urged him to make this move, to try and seek closure. "You couldn't have known how he'd react, Buck."

"His face," he recalled lividly. "He would've killed me. I know it. If Rogers wasn't in that room…" he blinked. "And I don't blame him."

"That's not fair. He didn't know you were coming, the shock in itself would've thrown him off and triggered that reaction. He just needs time, I'm sure of it."

"Time to what, Mia?" he asked jadedly. "Where does he go from here?"

"To grieve," she said with conviction. "He wears armour, but he's not made of it, and this…this isn't something you just take in a stride. It'll take time because it's a process, Buck. And trust me, from everything Steve's said about him and the world's seen of him," Mia touched his gloved hand, "He'll come around."

Bucky had been dead certain that this would be a rut he wouldn't get out of any time soon, but he knew in a way that he was being difficult. He wanted to see things in a particular light, one that painted himself as the villain because it was just so much easier. Acknowledging and _believing_ the fact that he mightn't have been responsible for the things that'd happened was much harder, because if he wasn't to blame, then who was? Hydra? Pierce? Could the answer really be that simple, that his actions weren't attributed to him? That they'd instead been the workings of powerful men and puppeteers?

Eventually, he coiled his fingers around Mia's and shut his eyes, letting out a deep breath as he did. She'd come all this way to see him, to make sure he was okay. This wasn't how he wanted their first meeting in New York to have happened, but he was grateful she was there nonetheless. "Where were you today?" he asked in a bid to ease the noise in his head.

Mia looked down at their joined hands. "I was, uh, I was with Mariyah." She smiled softly, "She's great."

Bucky turned her way, "Did you meet everyone?"

"Yeah, yesterday." She shook her head slightly. "Met at least 100 people, and they were all really lovely. I didn't expect that. And Mariyah's mum, Arsala, she's a gem." She didn't know what else to say, because regardless of his attempt to lighten the situation, she knew there was a hurricane waging in his thoughts, and small-talk wasn't the way to silence it.

He took in her skin under the pale light of a still-standing '50s lamppost, her plump lips and anxious eyes. She was a treasure, in the most exciting city in the world, and yet she was sat on a pebbly sidewalk with the worries of a broken man on her shoulders. "I didn't want you to see me this way," he confessed before she could say anything further. "I don't want you to worry about me because of this."

Mia turned her head to him. "Who are you tryna be strong for, Bucky? For me? For Steve?" She shook her head. "You think all I'm here for are the Sunday breakfasts and the pillow talk, the easy stuff? Is that it?"

He kept his eyes from hers as her voice grew, both in passion and sincerity. "All that's just a luxury. And I wish it could last forever, that we could stay tucked away in our little corner and forget about everything around us. But I'm not naïve, Buck. I know what I signed on for, and I think you know the same." She paused. "I told you these few weeks wouldn't be easy, but we've seen harder times. And Tony Stark? He's not your only means of redemption."

Nothing she was saying was falling on deaf ears, and Bucky absorbed it, took comfort in it. The redemption she knew he yearned was hidden away in the form of acts of goodness, and though he didn't quite know how he'd get there, the time would come where he'd be able to achieve all that his past had tarnished.

"Hey," she turned his cheek with her hand, her eyes boring into his for the first time that night. "You're going to achieve great things, with or without his forgiveness, you hear me?" She nodded reassuringly, earnest eyes and all. "You're gonna change the world."

The feeling of foolishness that'd showered his afternoon was slowly lifted by her words, and the conviction with which she spoke them. How could someone be so sure of something that hadn't happened yet? How did she have the courage to will these things into fruition?

"What do I do, kid?" he questioned sincerely, hoping that she'd provide him with some much needed clarity.

Mia's lips quirked into a small grin. "Part the seas, Moses." Bucky smiled wearily as she said, "Don't let this weigh you down. If anything, let it be a reason why you can't go back. The only way is up, and you've got an entire team that's waiting to make that happen."

Bucky felt warm at the thought of the people in his life who were truly convinced of his recovery, and whose interests lay solely in helping him along the way. "You think it's time to leave Madyan?" he asked, referring to the Biblical city that'd been deemed a temporary escape for its Holy patron, a safe haven from exile.

They both knew that this battle he'd been waging with himself couldn't last forever. Slowly but surely, he'd have to learn to forgive his conscience for the burden upon it, and voyage into something different, something that would service those who couldn't fend for themselves. Mia smiled, confidence on her lips as she said;

"I think it's time for you to fight a new war."

X

Generally speaking, Steve Rogers was a man with a game plan. While he wasn't exactly a stiff, he liked knowing the variables and factors surrounding the situation he was in, and from there, he'd formulate a way to overcome the obstacle. He did things methodically – most of the time – and he liked following a process to achieve his objective.

But over the past year, it seemed as though there'd been more and more occurrences in his life where he didn't have control at all. And as he rode up the elevator of the Avengers Tower, he knew that logic and practicality wasn't what would help him at that point.

He'd just have to follow his gut.

It'd been two days since he and Bucky had met Tony in his villa atop the lavish high-rise, and in those 48 hours, he knew Tony had gotten what he needed. Time to cool off, space for clarity; things that Steve had come to understand about his teammate. In hindsight, it mightn't have been the smartest move to spring a visit with Bucky on Tony, but if he'd known they were coming, he wouldn't have been afforded the chance to explain himself at all. And in Steve's eyes, no matter what the reason may have been, there was nothing fair about that.

Neither Nat, Sam nor even Bucky knew that he'd come to see Stark again as they sat in their safe house a few miles away, but that's the way Steve preferred it. In his mind, Bucky had always played the role of big brother, of helper. But in the predicament they'd currently found themselves in, Steve knew that it was time for him to do the one thing that Bucky had always taken upon himself;

It was time for him to protect his own.

He stepped out of the elevator just as he'd done dozens of times before, only on that evening, he didn't have the slightest idea how things might end up when the night would draw to a close. This was uncharted territory, but all he knew was that he was ready to weather whatever Tony would set forth.

"Good evening, Captain Rogers," sounded Jarvis' voice. "Mr. Stark did not notify me that he was expecting you."

Steve replied, "He didn't know." He looked around the empty level and asked, "Where is he?"

"I'm sorry to say he's been in a bit of a mood as of late, sir. He hasn't left the basement in 18 hours," he informed.

"What's he doing?"

"Carrying out his usual habits when in this state, sir. Destroying, and rebuilding."

Steve made his way to the floor on which Tony was able to play out most of his genius. He'd been there twice before, and the magnanimity of his accomplishments was only ever really felt in that basement, surrounded by technology and intelligence the world had never seen, and would likely never see again.

As he stood in front of the glass door and performed the retinal scan needed to enter Tony's lair, he saw him bent to the floor, clad in a black tank with a wrench in hand and hard at work on something unfamiliar to Steve. He made his presence known as he cleared his throat, and Tony continued on without glancing up.

"I don't know how things worked in '23, but I don't think the concept of 'knocking' is necessarily recent," quipped Tony as he tightened a screw at the base of a strange suit.

"I thought Jarvis tells you when someone enters the building," said Steve.

"Oh, he does." He rolled under the suit on his makeshift skateboard, switching tools. "Just thought you'd be a stickler for some good ole' fashioned manners, is all."

Steve shook his head slightly. "I thought my habits were outdated. You've told me as much about 20 different times."

"No, washing your clothes with a bar of soap on a riverbank is outdated, but courtesy…" Tony finally wheeled his way from under the suit and looked up at his friend. "That's never goin' outta style, Cap."

Steve nodded once and felt every meaning behind those words as Tony slowly got up from the floor, mindlessly cleaning an already-spotless wrench with his hand towel. "I, uh…I would've told you we were coming that day, but I didn't know if you'd let me in."

"That door doesn't shut for you, Rogers," he said, much to Steve's surprise. "I just didn't think you'd bring company."

Steve's tired eyes fell to the floor as he said, "There's so much you don't know." He swallowed, "So much that you don't understand."

Usually, it would be around this time that Tony would make a smart, irrefutable quip that'd send them both into a spout of arguments that eventually led nowhere. But just as Steve had had time to think over the last few days, so had Tony.

"I know I don't," he said without looking at Steve. "The files Romanoff leaked told me as much."

Steve's ears piqued in interest. "What did you read?"

"Enough," he said with a small nod. "Enough to know that there's something I'm missing here." He finally brought his eyes to meet Steve's and said quietly, "I can't be in the dark on this one, Rogers."

On his friend's face, he saw the look of a broken man, not dissimilar to the way Bucky had once been. More than anything, it was as though all Tony wanted was answers, and a way to overcome the void that he'd been left with after his parents' death. For more than two decades, he'd thought they'd fallen victim to a fateful crash, with no malice involved in their passing. But since this wound had been reopened, all his heart truly yearned was closure.

"How did you find out about your parents?" asked Steve.

Tony walked his way across the room and picked up another tool to needlessly clean, for fear of his fingers somehow falling off if they went unused for mere seconds. "Natasha leaked the files, Jarvis decrypted anything relating to the Stark name, I followed the paper trail," he said simply.

Steve nodded and asked cautiously, "What do you know about him?"

Tony's jaw clenched, a force of habit, as he waited to reply, "I know your ole' war pal was presumed dead until February, has some version of the juice in you, that he has an arm made by scientists that weren't too dim…" he shrugged and fell quiet. "Far as I know, he woke up in a Soviet lab and didn't see the point in coming back to fight for the right side. At least not 'til all those fucking psychos were dead and he was outta options."

Steve didn't know where all this information was coming from, but Tony clearly seemed convinced that he was in the right. "Did you get all that from a file?" he asked tentatively.

Tony scoffed humorlessly. "Call it a hunch."

"You think I would've been harboring a guy who turned Hydra for convenience's sake?" he asked, evidently outraged at the insinuation.

"I know who he is to you, and frankly, your judgment is askew." Tony threw down the dirty towel in his hand and leant back on the marble bench behind him. He regained his composure and paused. "70 years as a prisoner of war and, what, I'm supposed to believe a decorated sniper couldn't make his way past a couple'a commies to come home?"

Steve shook his head in unguarded dissent. "How's he supposed to know where home is when he can't remember his own goddamn name?"

Tony was about to reply, but his face twisted in confusion at those words. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

And at once, it all made sense. Steve felt his heart drop at the realization that Tony knew next to nothing about what Bucky had survived. In his eyes, the Winter Soldier had been a way for Bucky to revolt against a country that'd forgotten him, that hadn't bothered to look for him like they'd looked for Steve. To Tony, Bucky hadn't been a captive bound by Hydra's unrelenting grasp…he'd been their willing servant.

Steve looked around and clutched the stool to his right before offering it to his friend. Evidently, he hadn't even scratched the surface in his quest for the truth. "Take a seat, Tony."

And so, a soldier and an intellect sat through the next couple of hours in a way that was unbecoming of either of them. They were men of action, of impulse. But in moments such as these, they were stripped of their exteriors and left with only the truths they each carried. Steve spoke without haste, and without caution. He detailed the past of his friend with unashamed empathy, because turmoil such as that which Bucky had endured warranted only heartache. He talked and talked and talked, and Tony listened. It was unlike him to remain quiet after minutes had passed, but this was neither the time to react nor dictate.

It was simply the time to understand.

A new picture of James Barnes formed in Tony's mind that night, and it wasn't something he could've predicted in any of the years to come. He heard of the chaos he'd been subjected to, an example of inhumanity at its finest. He'd imagined sequences of torture play out in his mind that hadn't yet ever crossed it, regardless of the many things he'd seen in his life. He saw through Steve's eyes what his oldest comrade had endured, and there was something so very callous about the way it changed his voice, his demeanor. This wasn't just another unfortunate reality of war. No, this had been the affliction of injustice to the only family he'd ever known.

Memories, stolen. Identity, shattered. And all hope, utterly vanquished.

When Steve stopped speaking, a strange sense of calm fell over the two of them as they sat in Tony's den of extravagance. Neither one of them knew what more to say, and somehow, that was okay. An unusual sense of guilt lingered in Tony's stomach as the gravity of Bucky's situation shrouded his being, and that in itself would take time. But being the early hours of a Sunday morning, both men knew there was nothing more that could be said.

Steve bid Tony farewell in a few words that night, and returned to the safe house with a muted feeling of accomplishment. He'd said what'd needed to be said on behalf of a man who couldn't forgive his own actions. Now, only time would tell whether or not it was enough.

X

 **2 days later**

"I really can't stay for long, but—"

Bucky pulled Mia into the safe house – well, safe _apartment_ – and cut short whatever gibberish she was about to spew by covering her mouth with his hand. Mia's eyes widened exponentially as he brought a finger to his own lips and gestured for her to stay completely silent, for whatever reason, as he led her by the hand further into the apartment.

She nodded dumbly and followed him, cradling a bag full of packed take away containers, as they passed a chic living room and successfully made it to the hallway undetected. She wasn't sure who they were hiding from, but her 6th sense told her that Sam Wilson's foreboding presence was to blame for their covert operation. She cringed as the floorboard creaked beneath her feet when they neared a closed room, and Bucky was _just_ about to open his door without a peep…

…When all their grand plans were shot to hell.

"—I just wanna know what kind of dumbasses you take us for," said Sam disapprovingly as he sprung from the adjacent room. He looked to Mia, "I expected more from you."

Bucky groaned inaudibly at the fact that they'd been compromised, while Mia smiled, "Sammy!"

"No, ey, none of that 'Sammy' shit," he said, visibly hurt by her attempt at washing over what'd just happened. Nat and Steve made their way out of their respective rooms to hear him continue his tirade, "You think you can just sneak into thisapartment with homemade food and walk right into Vladislav's room without meeting me?"

Mia's brows furrowed, "…Vladislav…?"

Bucky muttered, "He means me."

"Is that all I am now?" asked Sam incredulously, pain evident on his face. "So, y'all start playing 'Roast the Broomstick' a few times and all of a sudden I'm Steve fuckin' Urkel to you?!"

" _Roast the broomstick_?" asked Nat with a small laugh.

Steve reached for his phone and mumbled, "I'll check Urban Dictionary."

"—his Russian ass has _corrupted_ you, you know that?" asked Sam, still insistent on his outburst. Seeing that this was going nowhere, Mia shoved the bag of food into Bucky's arms and chose to stop the barrage of hate by essentially flinging herself at Sam and locking him in a hug that was more terrifying than heart-warming. "Hey, what the fuck, what are you doin— _Ow,_ my God, that's my ribcage, _what the fuck_!"

"Just give in," she said as she squeezed him tighter still. "Give in."

"Tap out, Wilson," said Nat with a bag of popcorn in hand that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. "Oh, look. He's going red."

"Is that supposed to be a fucking joke?" Sam managed to sputter out before conceding defeat. "Alright, fuck, okay, I get it, I'll stop cussing you guys out, fuck."

Mia finally relented, and instead, leaned in for an actual hug, one that preserved his bone density rather than shattering it. "I missed you."

It took a while for Sam to return the embrace, but eventually he caved in for that as well. When they broke apart, his sights zoned in on the bag of goods Bucky was carrying and he snatched it from him without hesitation. "You need to get your girl a leash."

Bucky replied unthinkingly, "I plan on it."

…And then the room went _real_ quiet.

Steve looked away in an attempt to make things a little less weird, while Nat simply smirked and nodded in approval. Sam quirked a brow in silent appreciation, but it was Mia's face that won the Academy Award for 'Brightest Shade of Red Known to Mankind' as she stared at her fella' with unhidden delight shock.

And Bucky? Well…he didn't look like he was about to apologise any time soon.

"…Ima bounce, 'cos I don't wanna see _nobody_ get impregnated this early in the morning," said Sam as he walked out of the hallway and into the kitchen, leaving Mia to deal with an entirely new wave of horror.

"I think she's having a seizure," noted Nat as she nudged Mia. "How've you been, Alfiyan?"

Mia cleared her throat. "Ehm, yeah, I've been…good, I've been good. I haven't seen you in so long, I think since Steve's party."

"Yeah, that was a fun time. I hear you've done a whole lot since then," she smirked. Leaning in discreetly while Bucky and Steve began their own conversation, she asked, "So, how was… _it_?"

Mia double-checked that the boys weren't listening in before replying, "Oh, _that._ Um, yeah, I…well, I didn't know when it'd happen, but…I don't know, it was late, he was ready, and I was ready. It just felt right. And after the initial nerves and _slight_ pain, it felt _really_ right, y'know," she laughed shyly. "So…"

"…I was talking about your graduation."

Mia's face fell. "Right." she cleared her throat. "Yes, uh, yeah, the graduation was…good."

"If you cringe any harder, you're gonna go into cardiac arrest," said Nat with a laugh. "Don't worry, we'll go out for dinner some time, I wanna hear all about it."

"The graduation?" Mia asked, still cursing herself into oblivion.

Nat quirked her signature grin. "The…after party." She grazed Mia's elbow and said, "I'm heading out, but I'll see you soon."

Mia nodded. "I'll hold you to that dinner."

"I'm counting on it," and with that, she left the corridor and made her way out of the apartment, leaving Mia, Bucky and Steve in the hallway.

"How've you been, kid?" asked Steve with his trademark boyish grin.

"I've been good, Cap. And before I forget, I never got to apologise for what happened at your party," she said sheepishly. "All that drama was completely unnecessary and I wish it could've gone down differently."

He waved a hand dismissively. "Don't sweat it, it was getting a little boring anyway," he joked.

Mia looked at him knowingly. "You didn't _seem_ like you were bored." When Steve just stared at her in confusion, she whispered, "Cute girl, blonde hair, name rhymes with 'barren'." Mia scrunched up her face, realising that that _probably_ wasn't the best comparison. "Remember her?"

Steve shook his head immediately in denial. "No, it's not like that. She's not…we're not…"

"Cap, I'm gonna stop you right there," she said resolutely. "I've seen you around some beautiful women before, but _boy_ , you lit up like a Christmas tree when she walked in that night." She whispered, "Embrace the tension."

Steve laughed disbelievingly. "I've got no idea what you're talking about, we're just…she just helps the team, y'know? Verifies intel, does some background checks for us…"

"…and in return, he does some _background_ checks of his own," said Bucky lowly, only loud enough so Mia could hear and immediately collapse into a series of giggles.

"What'd he say?" asked Steve knowingly.

"Nothing, Rogers," shrugged Bucky.

Steve nodded. "Y'know, I'm glad you're enjoying this. But maybe I should tell Mia about that thing you were talking about, what was it again?" he feigned.

Bucky's heart dropped. "Don't."

"Right, I think you said you wanted her to—"

Before the words could leave his mouth, Bucky shoved Steve away and whisked Mia into his room, locking the door and praying to the Lord that his friend didn't say anything from beyond the door.

"That's okay, I'll talk to you when you come out, Mia," said Steve from the other side, evidently smiling.

"I'll end you, Rogers," Bucky threatened seriously.

"Don't worry, _I_ won't end you, now you _have_ to tell me," butted in Mia. "C'mon, Steve."

Bucky kept her at bay with one arm and re-opened the door to mutter something indistinctly to Steve, which obviously achieved its desired outcome, because he left them at peace. Bucky leaned against the closed door before stepping forward to his girl.

Mia smirked, "What was he talking about?"

He shut his eyes. "No, we're not doing this."

"Oh, c'mon, don't be like that." She tugged lightly on the bottom of his shirt and bounced on her feet. "Please?"

Bucky knew he wouldn't tell her, no matter how hard her pouted lip and widened baby browns tried to break him. It wasn't exactly the kind of thing you just _dropped_ on someone at 8:00 in the morning. He shook his head, "You're not gettin' a peep outta me, kid."

Mia _hmph_ 'd and took a step away from him. "And here I was thinking that 5 kilos of homemade food would be enough to get _anything_ from you."

He cracked a smile as he leant back on the doorframe. "You tryna corrupt me?"

Mia leaned in a little, "Is it working?"

Self-indulgent as he was, Bucky's eyes tripped to her lips before unhurriedly capturing them in the first kiss the pair had shared since they'd come to New York, long and tasteful. He drew back with a content smile on his face before saying, "Not at all."

Mia quirked a brow and checked her watch in a huff. "Well, then, there's nothing more for me to do here. I have an event to get to." She slung her bag over her shoulder and made her way to the door, "Guten tag, Mr Barnes."

"Oh, no, no," he said as he grabbed her arm. "You don't get to leave like that."

For reasons beyond her understanding, Mia felt a chill run through her spine at the slight force with which he spoke, and the look in his eye that felt a little less subdued than usual. Feeling courageous, she decided to play along, and even take advantage of the situation. "You're gonna have to give me a good reason to stay."

Breathing a little harder than he was before, Bucky wet his lips. "Let's get lunch."

"It's not even 8:00am yet," she smirked. "And I'm not free 'til tonight."

"Then have dinner with me," he said, almost commandingly. "I'll pick you up at 7:00."

His hand still clasped at her forearm, neither one of them could quite figure out when the air between them had _switched,_ but it wasn't something they were complaining about it in the least. Mia teased, "Are you asking me or are you telling me?"

He'd seen mischief in her eyes like that in glimpses before, but it was probably one of his favourite things about her. It was playfulness, and she took on a whole other level of beautiful every time she revealed that side of her.

And regardless of his lack of practice, he played along seamlessly.

"Doesn't matter," he shrugged. "You're coming either way."

…

…

…

 _So. Many. Innuendos._

 _I need some fucking Xanax, why the fresh-diddly is he doing this?!_

Sticking with the safest option, she replied, "Sounds like a fun time." With a reluctant look at the clock behind him, Mia stepped towards the door and warned, "7:00 on the dot."

He nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

And before his stupidly effortless charm could break her straw-weak resolve, Mia rushed out of the room and past the hallway, muttering a hasty goodbye to the others as she left the apartment. She felt oddly stifled and warm for every reason _except_ summer's heat outside. It was too early in the day for her to feel like this, and it was _particularly_ early for her thoughts to be raging as wildly and _R-Ratedly_ as they were.

What would happen that night, she didn't know. But a gut feeling told her that the next 11 hours would go by pain-stakingly slow. And inside the apartment, her fella' was still standing in the spot she'd left him in, wondering how on Earth he'd make it through the day without bursting an artery or two in anticipation of their third official date.

X

" _Daniel_?" asked Bucky. "It's just called 'Daniel'?"

Steve nodded. "Sam said it's one of the best places in the city, super classy, _very_ French."

Bucky rubbed a hand at the back of his neck. "I don't know…if she's really into all of that stuff."

"Of course she'll be into it," said Sam as he walked in. "Listen, it's not about the taste of the food, okay? It's about the experience. She'll be sittin' there, dressed to the 9's across the table from you, and the whole time she'll be thinking about how you booked a reservation for her. Girls like all that, the build-up, the ocean before the storm, y'know what I'm saying?"

Steve furrowed his brows. "I think it's 'the _calm_ before the stor—"

"Let's not get into logistics," brushed off Sam. "Don't overthink it, Putin. Just get your ass in the car, take her to the restaurant, and then snatch that wig right from her head." He added animatedly, "Mark my goddamn words, she'll be so impressed, she'll be tryna' find her weave for _days_."

Bucky sighed exhaustedly, because even though Sam was speaking in the English language, there was nothing familiar about the sentences he managed to string together 98% of the time. "You drain the fucking life outta me, Wilson," and with that, Bucky grumbled his way out of the apartment, with Steve and Sam looking on after him like two proud mama ducks.

Steve paused. "I…I didn't know Mia wore a wig."

X

It took Bucky 20 minutes to reach Mia's apartment resort and send her a message that he'd arrived just like she'd asked. He'd been lucky enough to score Nat's 1963 Corvette Stingray for the evening – just one of her _many_ Chevy luxuries – so they wouldn't have to worry about the hassle of a cab. He was excited, and given how their encounter had gone in Brooklyn, he wanted nothing more than to enjoy the evening with her, free from the drama that insulated their lives.

Bucky wasn't aware of the fact that Steve had gone to meet Tony again. In his mind, he and Stark had parted on unhealthily hostile terms, and Bucky would likely never see him again. However, little did he know that Tony had spent the days since his meeting with Steve trying desperately to find whatever he could on Bucky's time with Hydra, because for reasons unknown even to him, he'd become fixated.

Tony hadn't known a drop of what Steve had detailed about Bucky's past. Not the unrelenting torture, the time he'd spent on ice, and especially not the periodic bouts of memory suppression that'd shattered so much of who he was. The idea that someone had gone through such affliction was foreign to Tony, in the way that it made things difficult. He'd spent the last 5 months utterly convinced that his parents had been the only victims on the eve of December 16, 1991. But through the stories told by Steve, and heavily encrypted files he'd found after hours of sifting, Tony Stark realised that he couldn't have been more wrong.

But in that particular moment, the only thing that occupied Bucky's thoughts was how he could make the evening special for his girl. His hopes were set on her loving the restaurant, and the excitement that came with exploring New York City together was unparalleled. It may have been his home all those moons ago, but there were few corners of it that Bucky felt as though he recognised.

As Mia walked out of the lobby and onto the roundabout, she couldn't find the cab that she'd expected Bucky to arrive in. But when a sickeningly stylish car rolled up in front of her and came to a halt, she had no doubt as to who her driver would be that evening.

Bucky got out of the timeless treasure and walked his way towards the passenger side, with his intent to give Mia a brief 'hello' and open the door for her. But when he caught a glimpse of a woman clad in a too-tight black cocktail dress and heels that bordered lethal, he needed a minute to regather himself.

Mia grew red at his knee-jerk reaction and admired the devilish view she herself was privy to. "Hi," she said dumbly.

Bucky's eyes hadn't yet gotten past the curve of her hips, but her voice jarred him to attention. "You're…Wow." He took slow and deliberate steps her way. "You've gotta be kidding me."

She chuckled nervously. "Is it, uh, too much for where we're going?"

Bucky shook his head immediately. "It's…fucking perfect, Mia." He touched a hand at her waist before leaning in to place a soft kiss under her ear, which _really_ didn't help her already pathetic self-control. "Shall we?"

Bucky opened the car door for her and waited 'til she was seated comfortably before hopping into his side. They were on their way to the restaurant in minutes, and all the while, Mia couldn't decide what she was more excited about.

"I can't believe you're driving a _Stingray_ ," she gushed. "What is this, a '65?"

"A '63," he corrected. "I prefer it to the…new stuff."

Mia ran a hand over the expensive interior. "This car's worth more than all my organs combined."

Bucky's brows furrowed, but he answered, "You have Tasha to thank for that."

Mia laughed. "That's not all I have to thank her for."

Bucky changed gears and asked, "Whad'you mean?"

Mia ran a nervous hand through her hair. "She, uh, she kinda texted me that you had something fancy in mind for tonight. If she hadn't said anything, I'd be here in a pair of sneakers and some mom jeans."

"I've never seen you like this," he mumbled as he tried his darndest to keep his eyes fixed on the road. The problem, however, lay in the fact that her legs were resting near the gearstick, and the short length of her dress was testing the will and strength of history's prized super soldier. He didn't realise that Mia's thoughts were waging a tyrannous war among themselves as well, partially wanting to seem lady-like, but mostly devising a way in which she didn't end up jumping into his lap before they made it to the top-tier restaurant.

Funnily enough, the ride was mostly spent in silence, with both of them busy diluting their thoughts. By the time they made it to the busy street upon which their restaurant was bustling, they knew they'd made it out of the danger-zone. But it was just a matter of time before they lost that sense of security as well.

"Welcome to Daniel," droned a rather snobbish-looking waiter at the entrance. "Reservation?"

"For Williams," said Bucky.

The man went through the list before finding their names and staring down the two in a less than comforting way. "This way."

And with that, he led a suave Bucky and a _horrified_ Mia through busy tables and boisterous conversations until they reached the top floor of the restaurant, one which overlooked a _dazzling_ view of the city.

Bucky went through the motions of courtesy and chivalry that'd somehow latched themselves to his muscle memory, and he couldn't remember a time where he hadn't pulled out a woman's chair for her, or kept the door open as she walked in. Mia took note of those seemingly small things, and treasured the way they suited him, as if they were embedded into his very own skin.

The table was gorgeously lit with a low candle, sitting atop a crisp white tablecloth and partnered with fine cutlery. Each table was decorated the same way, and with the city lights just beyond the glass window, there was an undeniable air of beauty about it all.

"Your entrée menus," said the waiter before leaving abruptly. Neither one of them was too sure what his problem was, but they assumed it came with the territory when dining somewhere as accustomed to riches as that.

"This place…is absolutely beautiful," marvelled Mia.

Bucky nodded once and took in the needlessly extravagant chandelier that loomed above them. It was hardly his style, but if it made the night special, he didn't need to think about too much after that. "It's a little different to Ray's."

Mia laughed, remembering the cozy spot they'd gone to on their first date. "Yeah, just a tad." She shuffled a little consciously in her seat, looking around at the tables occupied by women with real diamonds and ingenuine charm. Strangely, she noticed the way some of the other patrons were looking at their table, with muted intrigue and possible disdain. She figured it might've been because in a room with an average age of 55, Mia and Bucky barely brushed the surface. She'd never been to a place like it before, and if she wanted to feel like any more of an outsider, she need only open the menu and read through its contents.

"Oh…wow," she said as she looked at the entrée choices. She laughed softly, "Bucky, I…have no idea what any of this means."

Bucky sifted through the options himself. " _Air-dried wagyu truffle_?" he mumbled in confusion.

Mia whispered to him, " _Cabbage-embroiled mussels_ with a _snail jus_?"

The pair looked at each other, and couldn't help but let out small laughs at how out of their element they were. Mia covered her eyes with her hand when she caught glimpse of the prices listed finely beside each dish.

" _Fuck me_ ," she gasped.

The elderly couple behind them turned to look at her in outrage, while Bucky's eyes widened to cosmic proportions.

"…Pardon?" he croaked.

"Buck, the…each entrée costs _$93_." She shook her head anxiously, "I can't ask you to pay for that. Maybe we should—"

"Hey, hey," he interrupted, looking her square in the eyes. "None of that, alright? I don't want you thinking like that."

Mia conceded and looked back at the menu a little guiltily. "I mean…d'you just wanna get one, and we'll share?"

Bucky looked at the remaining options on the menu, and couldn't see anything that he found particularly appetising. Maybe going with one was the safer option. "You pick."

After glazing through a few moments, Mia called the waiter and asked, "Hi, uh, can we please get one of the…air-dried wagyu truffles?"

He wrote down the order boredly. "Anything else?"

Bucky added, "And some water, please."

"Which one?"

Bucky's brows furrowed. "The…water one?"

He sighed loudly. "We have sparkling, tap, cooled, chilled, lukewarm, Voss and flavoured water. Pick one."

By this point, Mia was about ready to smack some manners into the complete imbecile they'd gotten as a waiter, and she couldn't believe that a highly regarded restaurant had employed such rude staff. But she knew better than to make a scene and draw attention to themselves, and instead answered, "Tap's fine."

He walked away without another word, and Bucky asked lowly, "Were all those real waters?"

Mia laughed softly and nodded. "I'm afraid so." She looked around and said, "I don't think I've ever seen so many rich people in one room before. They all look like…" she whispered, "like they're malting."

Bucky laughed softly and agreed, "I never felt right around these types. They all have this thing about 'em."

"Like they're planning something diabolical when they look at you?" asked Mia.

He smiled, "Yeah, something like that."

The two made small talk for a while, but as the minutes passed, Mia couldn't help but notice the way that Bucky seemed _severely_ uncomfortable. It wasn't even because he was afraid of being recognised, she supposed. It seemed more like he felt out of place, like a sore thumb sticking out among well-manicured nails. Mia, of course, couldn't have agreed more, but even as the moments clocked on and the atmosphere became a little more stifling, she didn't want to say anything that'd diminish his efforts to have a nice dinner in a beautiful setting.

"One air-dried wagyu truffle," brought over a different waiter. "I'll return with your mains menus shortly."

"Thank you," replied Mia. When she first looked at the plate, she thought maybe he'd left three quarters of the entrée back in the kitchen. But when she realised 2 fine strips of truffled wagyu and some barely-there bits of garnishes were all that the meal offered, her reaction was completely warranted.

She brought a hand to cover her mouth as she tried to control her laughter, and Bucky simply looked at her, slightly wonderstruck. He smiled, because well, there wasn't much else to do in that situation. Yes, the dish _looked_ very pretty, but all that counted for naught when it wouldn't be enough to suffice even a canary's afternoon tea.

"I don't…I don't understand," said Mia. "I feel like I should apologise to you, because _wow_ , my choice of food is…"

He shook his head and inspected the dish with a keen eye. "This is, uh…Wow." He asked curiously, "What's wagyu?"

"It's a type of Japanese cattle," explained Mia, still trying not to burst out in hysterics at the portion size.

Bucky looked at her confusedly. "I forgot Japan was in France for a minute."

Mia laughed and kicked him softly under the table. "Y'know, we're the only one's laughing on this entire floor. Why does everyone look like they're about to kill Lassie or something?"

"Lassie?" he asked.

"This famous dog," she explained. "Uh, d'you wanna…try it?"

Bucky let out a deep breath and picked up his spoon, gesturing for Mia to go first. "Ma'am."

She eyed him knowingly, but took the first bite anyway. Truthfully, she didn't know what to expect, but whatever it was...it _definitely_ hadn't been _that_.

Bucky tried to gauge her reaction, but she did a better job at playing it cool than expected. She nodded softly and gestured for him to try some as well. He brought the spoon to his lips and felt all the worse for it, because the minute the too-vinegary meat touched his tongue, he knew he'd have a tough time getting it down.

As Bucky coughed and cleared his throat of the foul taste, Mia asked coyly, "Trouble swallowing?"

He shook his head at her smugness. "It tastes like salt water."

Mia nodded and grabbed her clutch from the table. "And that's why we're leaving, honey."

Without a word, she grabbed his hand and led them down the stairs, her high-heeled feet walking determinedly out the door. She opened her clutch and planted a hundred dollar bill at the billing counter, adding to the man, "The Hudson's are leaving."

"We're the Williams'," whispered Bucky from behind her.

"Williams'," she corrected. "The Williams' are leaving. Hudson was…my maiden name. My surname, that is. My first name isn't Hudson—"

Bucky pulled her away before she could begin one of her hopeless rambles, and the second they walked out the doors of the horridly disappointing restaurant, they breathed in air of relief.

Bucky shook his head, "I didn't this place'd be so—"

Before he could finish the sentence, Mia silenced him with a kiss, both hands on his cheeks and an overwhelming amount of adoration for his efforts. She drew away and said, "I love you so much for wanting to take me out to dinner at a nice place." She smiled affectionately, as did he. "But I don't think either one of us could've lasted another minute in there. So," she tugged on the lapels of his jacket. "Whadya' say we go someplace a little more…civilized?"

A smirk tugged at his lip. "What'd you have in mind?"

X

"One double-pattied, triple-cheesed cheeseburger and vanilla shake for the pretty lady. And for the gentleman, one Double-Decker with the works, and a chocolate shake," announced the gorgeously plump man as he brought the food to the pair.

Mia and Bucky looked at their plates with unhidden infatuation, neither one of them believing that they'd chosen to go anywhere _but_ Dougie's Burgers that night.

"You're a good man, sir," said Mia with a smile.

He laughed and chucked the towel over his shoulder. "Call me Bob." He looked at the way the pair were dressed, and couldn't help but ask, "You two kids coming back from a wedding or something?"

Bucky and Mia looked at each other and shared a smile. "We, uh, kinda had a bad experience at another restaurant. Figured we'd go with a sure-fire option."

He chuckled and crossed his arms. "Good to hear. Well, if you need anything else, just give me a holler."

He left the two on their charmingly worn out red stools, in a joint that was located on the corner of a bustling New York street. Mia and Mariyah had walked passed it on their night out, and safe to say that it'd be on her mind ever since. It was small, poorly lit and slightly run-down, but for the purposes of our hero and heroine, it was just perfect.

"Ready?" she asked with her burger in hand.

"Let's do it."

The first bite saw the eruption of fireworks and church choirs in the background, with both Mia and Bucky temporarily lost in time and space as they chewed. It was exquisite, breath-taking, _life-changing_ , and for a grand total of $14.98, they didn't understand why anyone would seek pleasure anywhere else in the city.

"You've gotta be kidding me," said Mia as she took her third bite. "Oh, my God."

"Now, _this_ ," said Bucky with a nod. "This tastes like New York."

The pair ate their burgers and talked about the week they'd had so far in between. Mia described a few more of her new-found relatives to him, and Bucky briefly told her about some of the places he'd seen since returning to New York. As they finished their burgers, Bucky remembered something he'd been meaning to ask her. "How's Zeyn doin'?"

Mia clapped excitedly and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Oh, my God, I can't believe I haven't told you yet, but, okay, y'know how I said that _khaala_ and Zeyn had been acting really weird lately?" He nodded. " _Well_ , it turns out it's because he'd been going on all these super-secret meetings and making calls all over the country, all for one reason. Guess."

Bucky ran a hand through his hair. "He's gonna be a father?"

"Yes—Wait, what?," Mia squinted. "Oh, my God. That…would've been so much better, but no." She squealed uncontrollably and clasped Bucky's wrist tightly, "He's moving to New York!"

"I know."

Mia's face fell. "What…what d'you mean? How?!"

"He told me," grinned Bucky.

Mia leant back on her stool, open-mouthed. "He _told_ you? When?!"

"The night before your graduation when he came over," he said nonchalantly.

"You mean…you knew and you didn't tell me?" she said with no small amount of shock. She gasped as a thought came to her mind, "You knew when we were at the hotel and he messaged me?!"

He laughed quietly at her outrage, "I'm sorry, doll. He told me I couldn't say anything to you about it."

Mia shook her head. "I bet you knew they were coming to New York early as well."

"I'm the one that told him to let you hang back in DC for a few days so he could finalise everything here." He sipped on his shake innocently and said, "Told him I'd keep you company while they were gone."

"Unbelievable," she said with an unhidden smirk. "I bet he was thrilled to hear that."

"He told me to keep a distance of 8 feet between us at all times," he laughed.

Mia laid a hand on his knee as she turned on her stool, leaning against the bench. "Guess you've broken a lot of rules, then."

His eyes fell to her crossed legs and rose swiftly to the low cut of her dress. "Is that a problem?"

She shook her head and smirked, "You're an outlaw, baby. Wouldn't expect much else from you."

Bucky felt a shiver at those words, and not entirely for a bad reason. "Well, when you put it like that…"

Mia's phone rang in her clutch, and while she was busy answering it, Bucky took out the money for the bill, as well as snuck a hundred dollar note into her purse. She didn't notice, but he couldn't let the night draw to a close without making sure she didn't spend a dime while out on his asking. It was old-fashioned, but it was what suited him.

"Hey, loser," she said to Zeyn through the receiver. "Yeah, we're in the city right now. Where are you?"

He answered, and Bucky was sure that their night would draw to an early end once more. She'd either be called home by _khaala_ or have to wake up early in the morning, something that would steal her away and leave him wanting more time. It seemed like that's what always happened, but for some reason, _kismet_ had sided with them that night.

"No, actually, I'm gonna spend the night at Bucky's," she said, revelling in his wide-eyed reaction. "He wanted to show me his…Pokemon collection." Assuming that 'Pokemon' was some type of exotic fruit, Bucky didn't try to correct her as she continued, "Tell _khaala_ I'll be back tomorrow afternoon, alright?"

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, Jesus fucking Christ, she's staying 'til tomorrow afternoon, fuck, fuck, fuck—No, alright, get your shit together, Barnes. Play it cool, don't freak out. You'll be fine, she'll love it._

"Yeah, got it, I'll sleep on the couch," said Mia with a laughto her brother. "Yep, 8 feet distance, understood. Yeah—okay, alright, I've gotta go." She sighed and handed the phone to Bucky, "He wants to talk to you." She covered her hand on the receiver and said, "Don't let him intimidate you, just say 'yes' to everything."

Bucky nodded and answered, "Hey, man. Yeah, we're here." He listened to Zeyn talk before laughing and replying, "Sunday, 1 pm, got it. Alright. Tell _khaala_ I said hi," and with that, he shut the phone and gave it back to Mia.

She eyed him cautiously. "What did he say?"

"Asked if we're still good for the Harley Exhibit on Sunday," he said easily.

Mia shook her head. "I'm sorry, _what_? He just grilled me for 5 minutes about not _getting jiggy_ but he didn't even _mention_ it to you?! Does he realise that it's a two-way street, or…"

"Maybe he just knows I've got better self control," said Bucky smartly, but when he caught the look on her face, he _instantly_ regretted it. "What I mean is that…not that you've got _bad_ self control…I mean, maybe he's more worried…about what you'll do…not that—"

"D'you want a shovel for that hole you're digging, or should we just get outta here?" she asked invitingly.

"Let's—Yeah, let's go."

Mia and Bucky thanked Bob one last time before hitting the street and walking towards their car. She knew that there'd be few times where she could unsettle him like that, so if there was one thing clearly on her mind, it was to take advantage of the upper hand.

As they set off through the city, Mia connected her phone to the car's specialised Bluetooth system – one of the many upgrades the old beauty had been endowed with – and put her playlist on shuffle. It was a good 30 minute drive back to his place, and the chance to _mess_ things up a little was too tempting to decline.

A few songs played and they set an air of comfortability. It was only as one of Mia's favourite songs came on that she found the opportune moment to let go a little.

 _Ayo Technology – 50 Cent ft. Justin Timberlake_

Mia started to move her head slowly as the music swelled, not looking Bucky's way but rather letting her thoughts dissipate when the lyrics began to play.

Bucky thought he knew what she was doing when she slowly started moving her body in time with the music, swaying her shoulders and rolling her hips lazily on the front seat of his car. He figured she'd keep it at that, a little bit of a tease and without much else in her back pocket.

…Little did he know that her back pocket was packed with a _whole_ lot of things.

 _You've got me saying ayo,_

 _I'm tired of using technology_

 _Why don't you sit down on top of me_

Without warning, Mia leaned over as Bucky drove and put a hand on his knee with a kiss to his jaw, seemingly harmless at first, but what would eventually become a near-death experience. Slowly, she trailed a line of kisses toward his neck and inched a hand closer to his belt, not making any swift movements for fear of totalling the car or freaking the _daylights_ out of him.

"Mia," he said a little breathlessly. "What…what are you…"

She didn't pay mind to his mindless babbling, rather saying, "Keep your eyes on the road."

She opened the first button on his formal shirt and then the next, with her lips still hard at work near his jugular. Needing an anchor, he grabbed a hold of her thigh and dug his fingers in lightly, not saying much but doing as she instructed and fixing his eyes on the road.

 _Your hips, your thighs, they got me hypnotized_

 _Let me tell you, your hips, your thighs, they got me hypnotized_

By the time Mia had opened most of the buttons on his shirt, she felt his heart rate quicken under her hand, and just when her fingers had tripped down to his buckle, she ceased all movement and leaned back into her seat.

"Oh, my God, I'm…I'm so sorry," she said with a hand to her chest. "It's just…my self control, it's pathetic, really. Wow, I'm so sorry you had to go through that." She fanned herself and feigned shyness as she said, "I'm so embarrassed, really, I need to get a grip."

Bucky tried to calm down his breathing, as well as calm everything else _down_ , but when he took in the girl planted on his front seat, he couldn't help but swoon. With slightly dishevelled hair, tainted lipstick and both straps of her fitted dress hanging loosely to the sides, it was a dare. The look she gave him was a challenge in itself that he wouldn't be able to last 'til home. She played the role of bashful well, and the way she got under his skin would've made most men utterly useless in her presence.

Admittedly, Bucky was one of those men.

He didn't pay much mind to where he'd stop the car, just that it was a secluded spot that wouldn't see passerbyer's creeping for a peep. He turned into an empty car park within mere moments, and Mia's confusion at it all made it so much more satisfying.

With the music still playing in the background, Bucky shut off the engine and took his gloves off in a controlled haste. His face was unreadable, and assume what she may, Mia wasn't entirely sure what would happen henceforth.

"What are we doing?" she asked, nervousness and excitement bubbling in her chest.

Bucky undid his cufflinks and locked his shadowed eyes on her pink lips, an air of command masking the jovial spirit he'd had an hour ago. Without allowing her to spend another moment in confusion, he spoke his will.

"Get in the back seat."

X


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes: HALOOOO everybody, FRICKING FRICK MAN I'm sorry it's been so long, but hope you guys had the BEST holidays with your family and loved ones! Lets hope 2018 goes a litttttle better than 2017 y'know :')))**

 **Just as a side note, I wanted to tell y'all that even though** _ **technically**_ **this story's set a few years prior to where we are now, I'm still using songs that were released recently. I don't know, I just wanted to let y'all know, and hopefully they add a little** _ **somethin' somethin'**_ **to the mood :'))**

 **This chapter's a little longer thanks to my lack of updating, and I really hope you guys enjoy it! Catch you on the flippity flip yeeeoooowwwwww. Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 29

"Okay, alright, this one's tough," said Mia seriously. "Would you rather have forks for feet, _or,_ spatulas for hands? I know, I know, it's a tricky one, so take your time."

Considering the fact that he was currently lazing in bed with a brunette beauty straddling his waist, Bucky Barnes was having a little trouble concentrating on another one of Mia's brain-racking 'Would You Rather' questions. But she was looking at him in a way that made it obvious she was intent on getting an answer, and he was unwittingly bound to oblige.

"I'm thinkin' forks," he nodded, mindlessly running a hand along the side of her bare thigh, silently admiring the way his shirt looked on her frame.

Mia looked at him in shock. "You'd choose the forks?" She shook her head, "I need a step-by-step analysis as to why the _hell_ you'd do that."

Bucky kept his eyes on hers as he snuck a hand under her shirt and murmured, "Can't do this with a spatula," and with that, he sent her into a frenzy of laughter as he tickled a sensitive spot just under her ribcage. Mia fell onto the side of the bed and tried to stop his unwarranted attack, but he clasped her around the waist and secured her tightly before she could make a run for it.

"I'm gon—Hey, _no_ ," she semi-screamed. "Bucky—I'm gonna, _ah_ , kill you— _Barnes_!"

Bucky took heed of her cries and stopped his torturous tirade – for the time being – with both of them breathing heavily and wearing smiles on their tired faces. It was 4:24am, and neither one of them had gotten a wink of sleep in the last few hours. But when nights consist of delectable cheeseburgers, impromptu visits to lonesome carparks, and hours upon hours of uninterrupted conversation atop a mountain of pillows, sleep was the last thing on one's mind.

"What time is it?" asked Mia with a leg slung lazily over his.

Bucky checked his phone. "Almost 4:30. You wanna get some sleep?"

Mia laughed, "There's _no way_ I'm getting any sleep tonight. Y'know when you're kinda tired but your brain's too wired to actually fall asleep?"

Bucky smirked, "Got something else you wanna do?"

"You read my mind, Sergeant." Mia leaned up to his ear and said lowly, "I wanna make a sandwich."

Bucky's face fell, because tempting as that sounded, it wasn't exactly what he'd hoped for. "Right."

Mia laughed and rolled off of the bed, still clad in the button-down formal shirt Bucky had worn the night before. "Is anyone else at home?"

Bucky sat up in bed. "I don't think Rogers' in. Wilson's at his family's place, and Tasha's out."

Mia nodded. "So, it's safe for me to go out like this?"

He didn't hide the way his eyes scaled her figure from top to bottom as he said, "Your chances aren't too good if you stay in here like that either."

Mia blushed red from her cheeks to her chest, and backed her way towards the door. "Y'know, one of these days, I'm gonna have a coronary attack, and I'm gonna blame you for it. Don't think I won't, 'cos I will."

And before he could keep her from her food any longer, Mia tip-toed out of the room and into the hallway. Surprisingly, the kitchen was one of the biggest spaces of the apartment, and considering that this was her first time in any of Bucky's houses, finding where things were was an adventure in itself.

She made a bee-line for the fridge and opened it, only to find it mostly empty save for some leftovers from the food she'd brought them the day before. Mia took out the boxes and microwaved the rice, while reheating the Turkish bread in the toaster. She took out the unopened bottle of orange juice and took a few gulps, which is when she sensed the presence of a looming figure behind the counter.

"Oh, _oh_ , sorry, I didn't know you were—" sounded a voice.

"—it's my bad, I should've been inside—"

"—I should've knocked," blabbered Steve, only just now noticing that she wasn't exactly wearing any pants under Bucky's oversized shirt. He was about to turn around when Mia struck up a conversation.

"I feel like this has happened before," she laughed. "Only last time I wasn't…wearing your friend's clothes."

Steve smiled weakly and tried to reconcile, "S'okay, I wear his stuff all the time, too."

… _Uh…_

Neither one of them quite knew what to say, so Mia joked, "I guess that makes us both his girlfriends then."

Trying to make this better but unwillingly making them _infinitely_ worse, Steve said, "S'pose I'd be his boyfriend."

… _Well…_

They both looked at each other confusedly, completely unsure as to how they'd reached that point. Steve reasoned, "Not, like, in a romantic affiliation—"

"Steve," she said with a smile. "You're gonna pop an artery."

He let out a deep breath and laughed, "This always happens when I talk to you, I don't know why."

Mia took the take away container out of the microwave, "We're both about as smooth as sandpaper, so at least we're not embarrassing ourselves in front of anyone else." She offered him a spoon, "Want some?"

He shook his head. "I'm good, thanks. Had about 4 plates of it last night, it was amazing. Speaking of, how was dinner?"

Mia laughed at the thought. "I don't think I've ever eaten something so terrible in my life."

"Really?" said Steve with surprise. "Sam said it was a hit."

Mia smiled, "He also told Buck to take me to a strip club on our first date. I mean, not that I wouldn't have wanted to go, but I just don't know if he's the leading authority on making sensible choices."

Steve rubbed a hand at the back of his neck. "God, the world's changed."

"What, you didn't have strip clubs back in the day?" she smirked.

He laughed softly, "S'not that, it's just…couldn't imagine a girl letting a fella' take her someplace like that in the '40s."

Mia leant on the marble-top bench. "Find the right girl, and she'll let you take her anywhere." Mia smiled as she caught the look of contemplation that disturbed his features, and she figured it was time to set something straight. "Cap, can I ask you something?"

He downed a bottle of water and nodded. "Shoot."

Mia asked warily, "How come you won't ask Sharon out?

Steve sighed and figured he wouldn't be able to duck and weave his way out of the conversation, not with Mia at the helm. Beyond the fact that she was a near-qualified therapist thanks to her education, she was someone who Steve could easily trust as a confidant. As unlikely a choice as she may have been, Mia had well and truly become one of his dearest friends.

Steve toyed with the plastic bottle in his hands before saying quietly, "Something's always held me back." He paused, "And I don't think I wanted to admit it at first, but somewhere in the back of my head…I guess I just felt like if I moved on, I'd be letting go of someone I cared a lot about." His shoulders sagged in thought, "Someone that meant the world to me."

Mia had heard more than a few things about Peggy Carter, and her relation to Sharon wasn't something that made this situation necessarily orthodox. But over time, and through Zeyn's bizarre acquaintance with her during her stay in Sydney, Mia had come to know a great deal about Sharon Carter. She was accomplished, strong-willed, and ambitious as _hell_. Her beauty and surprisingly gentle nature was something that came as an afterthought when Mia pictured her with a guy like Steve, because if she knew one thing, it was that he'd do best with a woman who mirrored his qualities, not challenged them.

"So, you kinda feel like you'd be…letting Peggy down if you took a chance?" asked Mia.

Steve laughed humourlessly. "She's her niece, Mia. You don't think that's a little odd?"

Mia smiled. "I'll admit it's not the most traditional thing I've ever heard. And sure, there are other non-Carter's that I bet you'd get along with just fine. But Steve…" Mia put a hand on his shoulder. "You and I both know that Sharon's got something special. She's intelligent, bad-ass, has a _killer_ set of legs," she laughed. "And if you can't already tell, she really likes you."

Steve quirked his trademark half-smile. "I don't know much about her, really."

"Then get to know her! You guys have all the opportunities in the world, no one's rushing you. And take your time with it. Your relationship doesn't have to go from 0-100 in a second like some poorly adapted comic book-to-screen romance."

 _*Steve and Mia look into the camera like they're on The Office*_

"Just…take the step without worrying about how it'll affect your past. Because it won't," said Mia with conviction. "And anyone that loved you, either now or before, wouldn't want you ruining your future thinking about what could've been."

Steve let out a deep breath and felt her words sink in. "Y'know, you're good at this stuff, kid. Better than half the quacks I've had to sit with, I'll tell ya' that." As Mia laughed, he continued, "You're gonna make a real name for yourself someday."

Mia smiled shyly. "Ah, that's just the sleeplessness talking, Cap."

"Believe me, it's not," he insisted. "I'll, uh, I'll take your advice. Y'know, give her a call. No expectations, but…we'll see what happens."

Mia squeaked giddily. "That's the spirit."

"Can I get you anything in return for the free solicitation?" he smirked.

"Nah, that's okay, this one's on the house—Actually…," Mia remembered, "Yesterday you were gonna tell me something Bucky said to you, but he kinda locked you out of the room. Any chance I could get clued in?"

Steve remembered the conversation almost instantly. "Ah, _that_." Steve laughed nervously, "Look, I'm not scared of the guy, but he'd break me in half if I told you."

"Oh, c'mon, Cap. I promise he won't hear a peep from me about it. But…once I get curious then it just infests my mind and I can't concentrate on much else, _especially_ if I know I'm not supposed to be in on it."

Steve would've refused, but he saw genuine intrigue on her face, and the opportunity was a little too good to pass up. Making sure that Bucky wasn't lurking in the background, Steve scratched his neck and asked cryptically, "You, uh, you grew up belly dancing, right?"

Mia furrowed her brows, "Well…yeah. I mean, we all did, really."

Steve nodded, not sure how to go forward. "Listen, uh, I'm not saying this is what he said, but…when he came home the other day, he kept goin' on about how you've been dancing since you were young. And he'd never ask you, but…he might've mentioned…that he wanted to…y'know, see it."

Mia's face fell. "…He told you he wants to see me belly dance?"

Steve nodded once, feeling a new wave of _red_ eclipse his face as he felt the air between them thicken. "It—He didn't mean it in a creepy way, just…it sounds weird when I put it like that—In the context, it was all really…flattering…"

Mia swallowed, taken aback by that new piece of information and her mind running amuck as wild ideas spread before her eyes. She figured he'd probably be interested by the fact that she'd belly danced but she hadn't known it was such a… _thing_. If it were anyone else, she might've felt a little self-conscious, maybe even embarrassed. But rather than experiencing any of that…Mia just felt _really_ excited.

"—maybe I shouldn't have said anything…" trailed off Steve.

"No, no, this is great, really," Mia reassured him, her warmed up food all but forgotten. For some reason, she felt a new wave of energy fuel her bones, and suddenly, she felt like doing something, _anything,_ to harness it. With a smile on her lips, she said quickly, "Thanks Cap, I owe you one!"

And with that, Mia headed back to Bucky's room, trying to hide the nervousness aflutter in her stomach. She walked in without a word, and was having a bit of difficulty looking Bucky in the eye. It occurred to her that this meant he'd _pictured_ her dancing, had probably imagined the way she'd look in traditional clothes moving her body to an irresistible beat, had wanted to know what it'd _feel_ like—

"Mia," said Bucky for the third time. "You okay?"

Mia shook herself back to attention and nodded. "Oh, yeah, sorry, I was just…thinking…"

He looked down at her empty hands. "Not hungry?"

Mia scoffed softly, "I'd make a sandwich, but it's a little tough when the only thing in the fridge is a bottle of pickles and some condensed milk." She shook her head, "I actually…I don't know, I feel like doing something."

Bucky quirked a brow, still lounging comfortably on his ruined bed. "…I don't follow."

Mia leapt onto the bed and said, "Let's _do_ something. Lets…let's hike a mountain, bike around the city, go to a chocolate factory…I don't know, just _something_."

As tempting as all those things sounded, Bucky couldn't ignore the light rumble of her stomach and how he _knew_ she'd be dying for food right about then. An idea came to mind almost immediately, and while he himself wasn't entirely sure of whether it was the smartest thing to do, he suggested it anyway.

"I think I might know a place."

X

He couldn't believe it.

It'd been _decades_ since he'd stepped foot through the doors of Lewie's Diner, and somehow, it hadn't changed in the least. The window panes still yellowed at the bottom, a little more so than they had in the '30s. The booths had been reupholstered, but still sat in the same spot they'd been in when he'd left. Though the diamond tiles had been revarnished and the counter held new technology, the wave of nostalgia that was set alight in Bucky's bones was stronger than any that'd preceded it.

Mia held his hand and soaked in his reaction. He looked around the 24-hour diner without uttering a word, and gravitated towards a booth in the far end of the store. He sat Mia down opposite him, and took a seat on the familiar chair himself. He remained quiet even when a tired looking waitress neared them, prepared to take their order.

"Mornin', sugars," she said in the _thickest_ of Brooklyn accents. "Coffee to start with?"

Mia nodded. "Yes, please."

The waitress poured them both a cup from her fresh pot, seemingly accustomed to hipsterish, cap-clad, _kinda_ dangerous-looking men with lost looks in their eyes. Maybe it was a Brooklyn thing.

"Lemme know when you're ready to order, darlin'," said the woman before she left.

And with that, Mia was left wanting to ask 398 questions before Bucky could even get a sentence out. But she didn't have to wait long before he began to detail all that he felt.

"Nothing's changed," he said disbelievingly. "It's like I never left."

Mia smiled softly. "Is this where you and Steve worked?"

He shook his head. "Nah, that place went down before we enlisted. We used to hit up this joint every other weekend, though. It was packed to the brim every night."

Mia looked around at its current desolate state and couldn't help but feel a little sad at all the history it held. "D'you think the same family still owns it?"

He shook his head. "Couldn't know. But…I'm glad they kept it going." His eyes flitted to the menu on their table and he laughed softly, "Still got the worst chocolate shakes this side of the border, I can guarantee it."

Mia laughed and clicked her tongue. "Well, we're gonna have to see about that. What're you craving?"

He glazed over the options and stuck with the safest one he could see. "I'll think I'll go the eggs and bacon."

Mia nodded. "The 'Tower of Pancakes' are calling me and I can't ignore them."

As the waitress returned to the pair, Mia placed their order and sunk back into her seat, simply observing Bucky in his revisit to a historic hangout. "This is exactly what every foreigner imagines an American diner looks like."

"You don't have diners in Australia?" he asked.

"Not like this. The closest thing we have to 24-hour diners is McDonald's. But this place has some _serious_ style."

Bucky took in all the little details, the vintage wallpaper and the old-fashioned lighting that hung overhead, while the waitress brought over their food and they began their early morning feast.

" _Jesus_ , this smells amazing," salivated Mia. "I don't think she's left any maple syrup for Canada's supply," she said as she noted her _drenched_ pancakes.

"Don't think they left any oil for the Arabs, either," said Bucky as he stared at the plate in front of him. "Shall we?"

"Let's."

The two dug in, rays of an early morning sun peering in through the window. The little store sat on the corner of a mildly populated area, so privacy was theirs to be enjoyed for a little while before the daytime rush. They shared each other's food and talked aimlessly as the clock ticked on, and when their plates emptied in record time, Mia couldn't help but voice a thought she'd had.

"I love this little place, but I feel like it would've been cool if you'd come here with Steve first."

Bucky shook his head. "Rogers hated this joint. Doesn't have good memories of it."

"Did he get beaten up in the alley out back here too?" she smiled.

"Worse," he recalled. "He saw Viola Peters on a date with some college kid. He was crazy about her, had been for about 6 months. And he'd finally worked up the nerve to ask her out at school. She made some excuse, said she was leaving for holidays. But we came here that Friday, and when he saw 'em all shacked up…well, that was that."

Mia's heart broke for baby Steve, especially since experiences like that tend to stay with a person regardless of how handsome, strong or tall they grow. "Poor Stevie."

He nodded. "Hasn't asked anyone on a night out since." He added thoughtfully, "Peggy was special that way."

Mia traced the rim of her admittedly terrible chocolate shake and said, "I actually talked to him about Sharon this morning. Yeah, he's…insanely hesitant. And I get it, I really do, but…I wish he'd look after himself better, y'know?" Bucky nodded, urging her to continue. "I mean, it just feels like he takes the pressure of everything onto his own back, and I know he's a super-person, but that kinda burden isn't good for anyone."

"I don't see him changing, doll," said Bucky quietly.

"I know, and in a way, I think this is what's best for him. But…who's there when he gets back from a mission, or when he's away for weeks at a time…who's he got to come home to?" Mia shook her head, "You guys are his team, and nothing could replace that. But a team can't do _everything_ , y'know?"

Bucky felt warm at the genuine concern she harboured for his best friend. It was obvious not only in the way she spoke, but in the care her eyes shone with when she talked about him. He realised that there were few other people who would think about Steve beyond what he represented to the country or the world.

Underneath the uniform and the shield he brandished so proudly, there was just…Steve.

Steve who hated Shakespeare and loved acrylic paint. Steve who could recite paragraphs of poetry, since even before the serum. Steve who'd suffered and survived the loss of more people in his life than anyone else, and yet, still maintained his faith in people. There were things about him that even those dearest to him didn't know, that he didn't want to trouble them with. But if he just had someone who could ease the load…

"What'd he say he's gonna do?" asked Bucky curiously.

"He said he'd give her a call. I mean, it's clear as sunrays that he likes her, but it's just a matter of making a move."

Bucky smiled his signature lopsided grin. "You sound like you've got it all figured out."

Mia returned the smirk. "Well, when you study about human behaviour for half a decade, you pick up a thing or two."

Bucky leant back in his chair and asked her about something he'd never really delved into before; her degree.

"Why'd you choose psychology?"

Mia set her shake on the table and thought through her answer. "Well, besides the fact that I was terrible at just about everything else," she laughed, "I wanted to know why people did things. And that's pretty much what every psych student says, but…I just wanted to understand, make sense of how people work."

Bucky looked at her intently. "And what'd you find?"

Mia laughed. "Find about what?"

"About how we work."

Mia shook her head. "Well, it varies from case to case. I'd need to know the factors surrounding it."

"What about me?" he asked reflexively. "What can you tell me?"

When Mia realised that he was being sincere in his question, she let out a small laugh. "I think there are far more qualified people than me who could—"

"Mia," he said softly. "I want to hear what you think."

She looked around a little nervously. "Right now?"

He shrugged. "We've got nowhere else to be."

Taking that as reason enough, Mia sat up straight and folded her arms on the table. She seemed to be thinking something through, and to say that Bucky was intrigued by seeing her in action was a dangerous understatement.

After a minute of quiet, Mia said, "I want you to tell me the first thing that comes to mind when I say something."

"Just a word?"

"A word, phrase, maybe a thought. Whatever you think of first. Ready?" Bucky nodded, and Mia began a test she'd studied for hours upon hours in theory, but had never carried out on a patient outside the confines of a classroom.

"Alright, we'll start off simple. Street?"

"Car," he replied instantly.

She nodded. "Line?"

"Target."

"Racehorse?"

"Rider."

Mia nodded, storing away what she was hearing and deviating into trickier territory. "Arrow?"

"Misfire."

"Field?"

Bucky stumbled, a clear image splaying across his thoughts. "Lavender."

"Protection?"

"Father."

By this point, Bucky was having a difficult time understanding how words were slipping his tongue so quickly, before he'd even had the chance to process what he was saying. It was instinctual, without thought. And it confounded him to no end.

"Paradise?"

He swallowed. "An ocean."

Mia hesitated. "Memory?"

"Lost," he murmured.

With only a few more in mind, Mia's heart beat faster at the realisation that her instinct held a great deal of accuracy. "Rain?"

"Kite."

"Winter?"

He spoke without thinking, "Criminal."

Mia's heart felt heavy as she finished the set of words with the few she'd waited longest for.

"Love?"

"Mine," he spoke quietly, as though he hoped no one would hear it.

Mia smiled weakly and finished. "Future?"

"Hope."

And there it was.

The two sat in relative silence as the responses settled in. For such a simple exercise, Bucky couldn't understand why he suddenly felt so drained. It was as though he hadn't answered her at all, but rather, an unspoken part of himself had done so in his place. Strange as it sounded, there really was no other way to explain it.

"How d'you feel?" asked Mia cautiously.

"I don't know," he mumbled. "Did I…pass?"

Mia laughed and shook her head. "It wasn't that kinda test. It's called 'Word Association', it's a really common therapeutic technique. When it was devised, it was to disregard the way we interpret things, and to tap into our subconscious instead." She mentioned, "Don't get me wrong, sometimes it's just a pathetic waste of oxygen. But if it's done right…it can tell you a lot."

He leant in slightly, fascinated and simultaneously afraid of what she'd gathered from it. "What d'you think?"

Mia looked down at the table and traced the pattern on it. "How…how often do you regain a memory?"

Bucky guessed, "Not more than twice a week."

Mia nodded. "And what do you remember most?"

He thought briefly, trying to regather what he'd recovered so far. "My house. Steve, our childhood." He added, "Sometimes the war."

Trying to be as sensitive as possible with the man she loved, Mia began her relatively novice-like explanation of the things she'd gathered. "I'm not sure if you noticed, but most of the responses you gave had nothing to do with the last 70 years. They predate that, almost as if that time didn't exist."

"Whad'you mean?" he asked.

Mia explained herself. "From the time you're born, your circumstances, stimuli, the world around you at any given point leaves an imprint on your subconscious. You don't even know that it's happening, but over time, the shadow part of your mind stores more information than you could imagine." She shook her head, "And it's not just data. It's the way you process things, how you interpret situations. And…from what you've just shown me, there's more of the old you there than you know."

Bucky couldn't help but feel strange, like a bit of a foreigner in his own skin. Mia's words were different to any he'd heard in the past, and truthfully, that frightened him a little. ' _The old him'_. He seemed like an entirely separate man. And yet, maybe he wasn't.

"When I say a word like 'field', your mind could've taken you anywhere, to any place you'd stood on in the last 70 years," she said delicately. "But it took you back to when you were 9, a time where you barely understood the world. And yet, that's the first thing you thought of." She continued, "Same goes for 'rain', or 'protection'. Without hesitation, you looked to a time that you thought didn't exist for you anymore. But it does, Buck. It does."

His gaze fell into hers, in search for a lie or exaggeration, but he found none. His hands rest on the table, his thumb and index finger rubbing against one another as he always did. "Where does that leave me?"

Mia simply reached out a hand and lay it onto of his, ceasing the anxious movement. She said with confidence, "In a good place. And I'm not saying there isn't a part of you that's latching onto some type of darkness, because I'd be lying. But know that it doesn't compare to the light." She shook her head. "Not in the least."

X

"That sounds incredible, I can't wait," said Mia into the receiver. "And look, I know what you're gonna say, but are you sure it's okay for me to just tag along? I mean, you guys have known each other for _literal_ years, and I'll just kinda…be there."

Mariyah groaned. "Don't do that, _please_. Everyone's dying to meet you, and you'll feel comfortable around all of them straight away, I guarantee it." She paused, "Oh, and before I forget! Don't think that you can weasel your way outta bringing your mysterious Yank as well, all the girls are bringing their fellas'."

Mia stopped scrubbing the pots that sat in the sink of their New York apartment. "Look, Mariyah, that's really sweet of you, but…I'm not sure if he'll be free."

"Mia, I haven't even told you when it is yet," she deadpanned. "C'mon, it'll be fun. I promise, we won't make you guys dance – even though it's a _salsa_ bar – and he'll get to see another side of New York." Before Mia could blurt out an excuse, Mariyah said resolutely, "It's settled! We'll see you both on Friday. We'll have a blast, I promise. 8:00pm, Hermana's on 54th Street. And wear something light, or else you'll pass out halfway through the second song!"

Mia said goodbye resignedly, not knowing in the least how she was going to convince Bucky to join her on a night out in a _highly populated_ salsa club, with people who had no connection whatsoever to his world. She was almost certain he'd say no purely based on the fact that he wouldn't dance in front a single soul on God's green Earth, let alone his ever-present fear of being recognised by a member of the public. There were too many risks involved, the entire night was highly illogical, and yet…Mia couldn't deny that she _really_ wanted him to be there with her.

She tossed the idea over in her head for a solid half an hour before deciding _to hell with it_ , and giving him a call. If the worst he could do was say no, then she didn't have much to lose at all.

 **Little Falls, New York**

"Buck, 5 minutes then we're out," said Steve as he tossed his teammate a switchblade, fully clad in his tactical gear himself.

Bucky nodded. "Copy. Where's Tasha?"

"She's bringing the truck around. Shouldn't take us more than 20 minutes to get there," said Steve of the first mission they'd undertaken in the last few weeks. "Tell Sam to meet us underground," and with that, he left Bucky alone in the previously SHIELD operated warehouse that now served as a handy prep spot for their current mission.

Bucky liked to take these moments before the rush of the fight to calm himself, to collect his thoughts. Having checked that all his weapons, ammunition and comms devices were on his person, he shut his eyes and took deep breaths, ready to commit to hit yet another suspected Hydra stronghold.

He repeated the objective of his mission in his head like a mantra. It settled itself into his psyche, serving as a reminder of what he was doing, and why he was there in the first place.

 _Redemption. Honour. Retribution. Def—_

"Bucky? Hello?" sounded a voice through his phone on the table near him.

"Mia?" he asked as he picked it up.

"Hey, that was weird, it didn't even ring, it just went straight through to you," she said with a small laugh. "Okay, I've been tossing up whether I should even ask you this or not, but I'm just gonna come right out and say it before I lose all my confidence."

"Mia, I'm actually—"

"—Would you maybe wanna come to dinner with me and Mariyah…well, and her friends?" she blurted nervously. "I know this is so random, and I don't even know if you'd be able to, I mean, _logistically_ , but she really wants to meet you and I think I might die if you came, especially because it's at a salsa bar – well, club – sorta thing, and, I don't know, it could be fun—"

"You're running outta breath, kid," he reminded her. "Breathe."

Mia exhaled loudly. "Whew, okay, you're right. Ha, I'm sorry for springing this on you, and you don't have to give me an answer just yet, but I just wanted to throw that out there."

Utterly taken aback for more than a few reasons, Bucky didn't even know where to begin until Steve's voice sounded through his earpiece and reminded him that there were only 2 minutes left 'til their departure.

"Mia, I, uh, I can't talk right now. We're goin' 'Sparrow' in a few."

'Sparrow', in this case, referred to the term they used to describe a domestic mission over the phone. Their phone lines were secure and Nat constantly encrypted the receivers to stove away any prying ears, but one could just never be too careful.

Mia's eyes widened in shock. " _Oh, my God_. Why didn't you tell me, I wouldn't have disturbed you just before you're about to… _Dang it_ , Buck, I'm so sorry, I'm hanging up now. Wait, no—" she quickly said before cutting the phone. "Be safe, I mean it, and no 'post-game' victory shawarmas without me, understood?"

Bucky smiled to himself at the sound of her concern that bordered with affection. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good, okay, alright, I'm hanging up now," she babbled mindlessly. " _Ana bihibik_."

Bucky's eyes fell shut and his nerves fell quiet, because for a fleeting moment, everything was perfect. "I love you, too."

And as Mia cut the phone, a reality began to settle into her very bones; they'd have to share these moments time and time again, and as much as she hated to believe it, saying goodbye wasn't about to get any easier.

X

 **4 hours later**

"It was just a graze."

Nat shook her head, unhidden disappointment marring her features. "I let him get past me."

As Sam somewhat-needlessly bandaged the wound on Steve's shoulder, the super soldier shook his head stubbornly. "You did your job where it counted. You couldn't have known he'd be there."

"He was on the sensor, and I missed it," said Nat disbelievingly. "Didn't even notice him."

The four teammates sat in the back of their inconspicuous truck under a deserted bridge in Upstate New York. The mission had been a success, barring the unfortunate shot to Steve's arm, and the team had acquired the information they'd set out for. It should've been a moment of humble rejoice, but Nat's mistake clouded her ability to see the good in any of it. The error, in her eyes, was unforgivable.

She swung open the doors of the truck and headed out into the cool night air without a word. Steve called after her, but to no avail. Sam was about to follow, but surprisingly, it was Bucky who made his way after her. She stood at the edge of the gravelly road, looking to the crescent Moon as though it were a deity, holding the solace she yearned for.

She knew they were Bucky's footsteps without looking at him, having heard those same steps for years in a life she'd lived long ago. He didn't speak, rather, he waited for the silence to encourage her. And soon enough, it did just that.

" _не говори, что я сделал хорошо_ _, Yakov._ "

 _Don't say I did well, James_ , she asked earnestly.

Bucky replied softly, "I wasn't going to." He took a step to stand beside her, staring at the same sky she beheld.

Nat laughed humourlessly. "A mercenary stands 10 feet away from Steve Rogers and only manages to hit his shoulder." She thought pensively, "In capable hands, it could've been his heart."

"но это не было," he reasoned.

 _But it wasn't._

"What if it had been? Hmm?" she asked briskly. "What answer do I give the next time I let something slip by me?"

"Don't be naïve, Tasha. You could do everything perfectly, and things would still fuck up."

"We don't have the luxury of fucking up. Complacency, _weakness_ is what's gonna get us killed," she said robotically, as though she'd repeated it hundreds of times before.

Bucky recognised the lost look in her gaze. "I'm hearing Alexei in every word you say," picturing one of the devils responsible for the Hell that Nat had survived. He asked quietly, "How long are you gonna hold onto their voices?"

"You think I wouldn't let go if I could?" she asked tiredly. "But they'll stay. For as long as I do what I do…they'll stay." She turned to him slowly, "Won't yours?"

Bucky swallowed, confronted by the knowing gleam in her eyes. He couldn't devise a reply, and he would've left it if she hadn't spoken further.

"Sometimes I think things were simpler then, in the Red Room," she recalled. "Nobody to disappoint. Nobody got hurt because of the choices you made, or the things you didn't do." She shrugged. "Just yourself."

Bucky said, "That wasn't a way to live."

She replied thoughtfully, "It was a good way not to die, though." She turned her head to look at the truck that the others sat in, the realisation hitting that if luck hadn't favoured them that night, things could've ended very differently. "He needs to know he can count on his team."

"And he does," he said. "He wouldn't keep you on for style points."

Nat let out a small laugh, somewhat grateful that she could rest easy knowing someone else knew her truth. "What's he got you here for, then?"

"No fucking clue," he admitted, and the tension in the air dissipated as they both let out small laughs. It'd been a long day, with promising results and some unideal complications. But all in all, they were safe, and they could pride themselves on another victory.

"I can't lose this, _Yakov_. I've finally found my place, and I can't let it slip through my fingers," she said, and her words bled with sincerity. This, the Avengers, her team…it was all she had. And even the _idea_ of ruining that was enough to frighten a soldier like her.

"You're not losing anything," he said with quiet conviction. "Things like this'll happen. We learn. We move on. Don't let it be anything more than that."

Nat looked up at him and smiled jadedly. "I knew that girl'd make you soft."

Bucky scoffed. "Here we go."

"She's made you a better man," she said seriously. "I can see it."

Bucky looked down at his teammate, knowing that she truly meant it. "She's the only one who could." He shook his head slightly, "There's nothing without her."

Nat hummed in acknowledgement, before a few steps back onto the road. Her pace was slow, and before she could re-enter the truck, she stopped in her place to say over her shoulder, "Maybe I'll find it someday."

Bucky wet his lips. "Find what?"

Her lips took on a sad smile that belonged not to a woman, but a girl who'd been robbed of dreams and entire futures. "What you two have."

X

"Please tell me you're lying," said Mia, her breath caught in her throat. "What…did he say why?"

Mel replied in a heavy voice, "He said his dad's been sick lately, and it doesn't look like it's getting any better. And he has 5 younger siblings, running on his mom's paycheque." She sniffled, clearly distraught, "He leaves for Glasgow on Thursday."

Mia had been getting ready for her dinner at Hermana's when Mel had called. She figured it was just for a regular catch-up session, but when she found out that Richy had been called back to permanently move to Glasgow by his family, her desire to leave the apartment had been quashed entirely. She felt a pit form in the base of her stomach, because if there was ever a time that Mel needed her best friend, it was right then and there.

"So…what did he say?" asked Mia regrettably.

"He asked me to swing by his place this morning," said Mel. "He told me about his dad, and how he didn't have any other choice but to move back. He just…looked so heartbroken." Mia could hear the sadness in her friend's voice as she said, "I wanted to ask him to stay so bad, Mia. But…I don't know, I guess…fuck, I guess it all happens for a reason."

Mia shut her eyes, utterly devastated by what she was hearing. "Babe, I don't even know what to say. I just…did you…I mean, is it…over?"

"Yeah, we…we talked it through and…it's what's best." Mel let out a sad laugh. "Just when I thought things were going straight…"

"Mel, you're breaking my heart," Mia said with shiny eyes. "Don't think like that, _habibti_. Look, I know it's gonna hurt right now because it's so fresh, but like you said, there's gotta be some reason why it didn't work out. And I've never been more certain of anything in my life than the fact that you're gonna snag the best guy out there someday. All you gotta do is give it time, love."

Mel couldn't help but smile a little as tears streamed down her cheeks, because even in these gut-wrenching moments, her girl managed to make things seem alright. "I wish you were here, Alfiyan."

Mia shook her head. "God, I wish I was there too. I would've bought over some Chinese takeaway from that greasy place on my street, put on Season 2 of 'The Office', and stuffed you with 13.8 pounds of Hershey's kisses."

Mel groaned in pure emotional – and physical – pain, "You just mentioned every single thing I love in one sentence, and I'm not okay. I need a break. I need a _hug_."

Mia tried consoling her, and in the midst of her incessant wailing over the phone, a piece of paper caught her eye. It was her old boarding ticket sat atop their computer table, and as soon as she saw it, genius struck.

" _Mel_!"

"I'm sorry, I'll stop crying, I know, it's just… _his curly hair_ ," she whined.

"Mel, no, listen," said Mia excitedly. "How's your job search going?"

"…Are you trying to push me further into depression?" Mel asked seriously.

"I take it that means you haven't found anything yet?" Mia asked happily.

"…Reminding me of my failure really isn't helping me, Mia."

"No, listen, you haven't got a job yet, so you're gonna be free for the next few weeks." Mia frantically turned on her laptop and said, "Come to New York!"

"…What?"

"I said come to New York! We're gonna be here for _at least_ another 3 weeks 'cos of Zeyn's new gym. We're gonna be setting up shop and all, so you can help out, meet some of the cute tradies."

 _No you idiot, it's too soon for hot tradesman jokes. She's getting over a broken heart, you capsicum!_

"Okay, but seriously, we've got a massive-ass apartment and there's a room here with your name on it," she said, practically bursting at the seams.

Mel could feel nervous jitters course through her body, but the idea was too appealing for her to ignore. "What—I mean…that all sounds great, but…are you sure it'd be okay for me to stay with you—"

" _Of course_ , _khaala_ 's literally gonna have a fit when I tell her, she's obsessed with you," she laughed, logging onto the travel centre website. "Look, you're probably gonna have a tonne of reasons why you can say no, so I'm just gonna book your ticket to make sure you come."

"Mia, don't, please don't book anything just yet—"

"Uh-uh, sorry, already entered my card number," she teased. "Alrighty, available times for DC to JFK…Aha!" she exclaimed. "Tomorrow afternoon, 2:00pm flight. Done. Booked. Finito, amigo."

" _Mia_ , I can't let you buy my—"

" _Don't_ finish that sentence, or I'm gonna have a B.F."

"No, _please_ don't have a 'bitch fit', just hear me out—"

"Sorry, the connection's fucking up, I can't hear you," she said obnoxiously. "I'm emailing you the itinerary, and you better get your ass on that plane tomorrow." Mia's eyes glanced up to the clock and her heart dropped as she saw it was already 7:30. "Alright, I have to go, I have to go, I'm running _really_ late for a dinner with Mariyah. I'll call you when I get back, love. _Bye_!"

And with that, Mia ran to her closet, threw on her white wrap skirt and apricot yellow crop with a pair of heels, and bolted through the door. Her simple hair and makeup had survived her phone call with Mel, and now all that was left was hailing a cab quick enough in _peak hour traffic_ to get her to her destination.

Almost immediately after hanging up the phone with Bucky on the day of his mission, Mia had regretted it terribly. Upon _really_ thinking the situation through, she knew that there was no way in Hell he'd be comfortable socialising with a group of people neither he _nor_ Mia had ever met, under the guise of an ordinary analytics contractor.

Beyond the fact that she was still unsure as to how often he could be seen in public, and whether or not people were clued in as to the actual identity of the Winter Soldier, Mia's ultimate fear was that he'd resent her for being in a situation he wasn't comfortable with, purely for her appeasement.

 _That_ , she couldn't handle.

So in her wisdom, Mia had called him the day after his mission and told him that he needn't worry about the dinner, much to his confusion. Although Bucky had been unsure as to how responsible it would be for him to be seen in crowded New York restaurants, he couldn't help but feel sorry that he couldn't accompany her. He could tell it was something she wanted, something that'd make her happy. And while he should've felt relieved, he simply felt…guilty.

While Mia was on her way to the restaurant, Bucky sat in the team's safe house with Nat, sulking quietly as she tapped away on her computer screen.

"Either Mia has another NY boyfriend that she's getting loose with tonight, or you're missing out on a date," said Nat, perceptive as always.

Bucky stared down at his untouched dinner. "Don't you have some Governor's marriage to ruin?" he asked moodily.

"That's tomorrow night," she quipped. "And you're avoiding the question."

Bucky let out a small sigh. "She asked me to come to a dinner with her friends at some…salsa bar." He mumbled to himself, "What the fuck is a salsa bar?"

"And you're not there because…?"

He looked at her as though the answer were bleedingly obvious. "I haven't played it safe just to risk it now."

Nat returned the look. "Last week you went to the busiest restaurant on 65th Street. That wasn't a problem."

"That was different. We didn't have to…meet people, that's all tonight's about." Bucky scrunched the napkin in his hand and flung it on the table. "I wanted to be there for her, but…there's too many risks." He scoffed, "Don't even start on the amount of fucking cameras in this town.

Nat shut the laptop screen and deadpanned, "I don't think anyone's gonna be looking for the Winter Soldier in a salsa bar." She got up from her seat, and determined as she was, stood in front of Bucky to make the decision for him. "You're going."

He shook his head resolutely. "I can't."

"You can," she insisted as she walked towards his room, "And you will." It didn't take more than a minute of rummaging through his sparse wardrobe for Nat to fish out some suitable clothes and dump them next to Bucky on the sofa. "Time is money, Barnes."

"What are you doing?" he asked, a little irritable, as always.

"Stopping you from making a mistake and letting your girlfriend down," she announced. "I get you're being cautious, but it's been 6 months since the DC attacks, and no suspicion on your identity."

"There's a reason for that," he replied.

"You're right. It's because we pulled your files from the leaked database the day after the Triskelion fell, and rerouted every hit on your name to bogie reports." She shook her head in a 'you shouldn't expect so little from me' kinda way.

Bucky's brows furrowed in confusion. "You…you did all that six months ago, and you're telling me _now_?"

"I didn't tell you because it's not foolproof. There are still ways to get around it, and being careful's what's best. But," she shrugged, "Calculated risks are risks we can take."

Rather shocked as to what he was hearing, Bucky thought through what she was proposing for a few moments, looking down at the clothes she'd chosen for him. It was tempting, to say the least, and any time spent with Mia would compensate for the possibility of inviting danger. But if he was going to do this, he'd need to be sure that every possible countermeasure was taken.

"Can you access the security feeds of the place?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'll run a cloaked scramble on any devices within a 5 mile-radius." She sent him a small grin, one that spread on her lips effortlessly. "Let yourself live, Barnes. Make her happy. And better yet," she nodded, "Make her proud."

He stared down at the smart formal shirt and slacks she'd sat next to him, the uniform of a successful boyfriend and breadwinner. With those on, and in the company of Mia's friends, he might finally be able to make her feel like she'd lucked out. She wouldn't have to be ashamed of who he was, and if Nat's words rang true, a voice at the back of his head told him that she may even be proud of the man she loved.

X

"Alright, I'll introduce you to the girls," squeaked Mariyah as she clutched Mia's arm and guided her through the crowded high-top tables at Hermana. "Mia, this is Shireen, Jasmine and Nayla."

Mia greeted them each with a warm smile and a customary hug-kiss-kiss combo. "Oh, wow, it's so good to meet you guys!"

"The pleasure's ours, hun," said Jasmine, a green-eyed beauty with cascading brown hair.

"So, _this_ is the mysterious cousin we've been hearing non-stop about," said Shireen with a cheeky grin that fit her exemplary features. "If she wasn't engaged to Saleh, we'd have thought Mari was gunning for you."

Mia laughed scandalously, utterly flattered by everyone's kind words. "I have no idea what Mariyah's told you lot, it's a little concerning, to be honest."

"The only thing you need to be concerned about is whether or not she'll let you go back to DC with the way she's gone on about you," laughed Nayla, a Sudanese-American _bombshell_ , adorned with tamed curly hair and kind, almond eyes.

"Mia's under some illusion that DC's gonna be any fun after she's gotten a whiff of the City, but give her a few weeks," said Mariyah confidently. "She'll be packing up her Vegemite and kangaroo whistle in no time."

Mia groaned good-naturedly and effectively palmed Mariyah's face with little force. "I swear, _half_ of her humour about Australia is Vegemite-related content." She tapped her cousin's cheek twice, "And, there's no such thing as a 'kangaroo whistle', slick."

"A koala whistle?"

"Nope."

"A crocodile whistle?" she tried again.

Mia laughed, "No such thing."

Mariyah asked seriously, "A Hemsworth brother whistle?!"

"Mariyah—We don't use whistles to summon Australian animals. _Or_ blonde haired, blue-eyed actors, for that matter," she shook her head.

Mariyah looked at her disappointedly. "Well, then what's the point of any of it?" Making absolutely _zero_ sense to everyone that surrounded her, Mariyah hashed, " _Anyway_ , I'll take you to meet the boys, I think they're at the other end of the restaurant. But you guys order something, it'll probably take a while t come anyway."

Leading Mia by the hand, the two walked through the gorgeously styled setting, complete with Spanish designs and patterns splayed on the walls, and pops of colour embellishing each table in the form of _tantalizing_ food. Separating the inviting dance floor and the dining area was a decorative partition that kept some of the noise out, but the backgrounded music and excited chatter of the patrons only added to the atmosphere.

"This place is amazing, kid," marvelled Mia.

"Tell me about it. It's only been open for a few months, but people have caught on quick, and just _wait_ 'til you try the food," she warned. "Ah, there are the boys, c'mon."

Seeing the girls approaching, one of the men in the group of 5 smiled widely and motioned to his friend. "Oh, there she is, the girl of the hour. I'm glad you could take your eyes off the menu long enough to find us," the man said cheekily to Mariyah.

It didn't take a genius to realise that the tall, dark and _gorgeous_ fella' was none other than Mariyah's fiancé, and judging by the way he was looking at her, their big day couldn't come soon enough.

"You're hilarious, babe. Really," Mariyah chided, "But for your information, I was busy introducing our guest of honour to the girls. And now it's your turn, boys. Drumroll, please."

To Mia's amazement, all 4 of the well-dressed, unfairly attractive men turned to the bench behind them and began tapping it rapidly to bring on the same effect of a drumroll. Mia's cheeks flushed red at the unaccustomed attention, and it only heightened from there.

"Presenting, all the way from the Sydney Opera House, Mia Alfiyan!"

Very clearly emulating the warm and excitable vibe of the restaurant, the group all clapped and hollered as Mia stopped laughing long enough to shake each of their hands. All in all, she met Jafaar, Leo, Gabriel and Saleh, and everything following their introduction was a series of undirected questions at the newbie. 

"Have you ever met Margot Robbie?"

"How many of your friends have been eaten by a crocodile? Just, y'know, ballpark."

"Do you live next to Hugh Jackman?"

"Is it true you guys don't have Burger King? Or is that just a really sick, deranged rumor?"

Mia couldn't focus on any one question long enough to answer it, but there was genuine intrigue on everyone's faces as they awaited her reply. "Literally all I got from that was whether or not Margot Robbie works at Burger King and eats crocodile…"

Mariyah interceded, "You guys can harass her with Australian questions all you want later, but right now, we need to get back to the table before someone takes it."

Everyone shuffled their way back from the bar to the dining area and engaged in small talk with drinks in hand. Once they were all seated and comfortable, loud chatter erupted almost immediately, and Mia could tell that she was surrounded by a group that'd known each other for a very, _very_ long time.

"So, who's who to who here?" Mia asked excitedly.

"Well, you already know Mari and Saleh's deal," said Jasmine. "Us girls all go to college together, so does Jafaar."

Mia turned to him and laughed, "Lemme guess, you're still tryna get Jasmine's dad to let you marry her, right?" referring to the plot of Aladdin.

He looked at her with an unreadable face. "…She's my sister."

Mia's face fell. "Ah." She cleared her throat, "Well, you…congratulations…on your…brotherhood."

Mia was sent into a fearful jolt when the entire table simultaneously erupted into laughter. Jasmine had a hand on Mia's shoulder as she controlled her giggles, while Jafaar said, "That's probably the best one yet."

"That was actually better than Tracey's reaction," noted Shireen.

" 'Congratulations on your ' _brotherhood_ '? Yeah, that's a winner," said Jafaar.

Nayla leant into Mia and said, "They do that every time someone makes an Aladdin crack. They've been dating for 2 years, sweets."

Mia grew a little red as she laughed along with the others, not expecting this kind of roasting from a first meeting with a bunch of strangers. But the laid-back atmosphere of the table had her relaxed within minutes, and the conversation flowed smoothly while they waited for the food.

Mia listened in as the group of old friends bantered and volleyed across from one another, thoroughly enjoying herself in the bustling restaurant. Mariyah and Saleh were teasing each other about an embarrassing memory, while Jaafar showed Jasmine a funny video on his phone. Leo had his arm slung around the back of Shireen's chair, and while they weren't actually dating, their demeanour spoke all that needed to be said about how they felt.

As Mia took note of everyone's interactions with one another, the freedom and ease with which they spoke, she wondered if that's what she looked like when she was with Bucky. Did her eyes light up the way Mariyah's did when he told her about his day? Was she as terrible at hiding the way she felt as Shireen was when their hands sat centimetres apart on the table? She was seeing love, _true_ love play out all around her, and if she was being honest…

…She couldn't help but wish he was there.

"What about you, Mia?" asked Nayla. "Met any cute guys this side of the border?"

"She was _supposed_ to bring her Yankee tonight," said Mariyah. "But she had to go and let us all down."

Mia laughed and shook her head, "He really wanted to come, but he had some…work…"

Mia trailed off as she caught sight of a man _strikingly_ similar in build to Bucky making his way into the restaurant. At first, she was sure the decorative lighting was playing tricks on her eyes, but when he ran a swift hand through his hair the way Bucky _always_ did, her suspicion grew significantly. There was a brief moment of caution, but when their eyes finally met, the conversation taking place on the table faded into the background. Mia's mouth fell agape as Bucky began walking towards them confidently, weaving his way through the setting.

 _What the actual fu—_

"—ia? Mia? _Mia_?" said Mariyah as she shook her arm. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Mia snapped out of her daze and babbled, "Oh, sorry, uh, I think…I think James is here."

Mariyah's eyes lit up like a little girl about to meet her big sister's boyfriend for the first time. "He is?! Where?"

Mia pointed vaguely in his direction. "The guy passing the mariachi band."

Mariyah squinted to get a better look. "…The one who looks like Guy Fierri?"

Mia furrowed her brows. "No, but…I kinda wish it was him now." She cleared her throat when she got a weird look from her cousin. "Ehm, I mean, no, the one behind him."

Now in on the conversation, Jasmine and Nayla leaned in and asked, "The guy that has more chest hair than David Hasselhoff?"

"Don't be stupid, that guy's like 60 years." Mariyah turned to Mia reassuringly, "Unless that's actually him, in which case, it's totally fine to have a thing for retirement-aged men."

… _If only you knew, sister._

Mia let out a small laugh as she saw Bucky ducking and weaving his way past a group of charmingly drunk girls, before dodging a waiter's tray of hot food. The girls still couldn't quite pinpoint him, but that just gave Mia more time to not-so-discreetly fawn over the way he looked, _strutting_ in formal pants and a black long-sleeved polo fitted to _High Heavens_.

It was, in a word, life-ruining.

"Either my contact lenses are playing up or he's not there— _Oh._ " Mariyah _finally_ saw the man Mia had been referring to, and every girl on the table reacted unthinkingly.

"You've gotta be _fucking_ kidding me," whispered Nayla.

"Is that _him_? Are we looking at the same person?" asked Jasmine in a low voice. "The one with the…polo and the…hair…"

Mariyah interjected, "You better start explaining, Mia."

"I think I'm gay," mumbled Gabriel from the other end of the table. When the whole group turned to face him, he said quickly, "Not in a… _gay_ way, just in a…y'know, 'I would do things to you' kinda way."

…

…

"…I'm not sure you understand how being gay works, Gabe," said Saleh. "You can't just…'no homo' your way out of it."

"Shh, guys, he's coming," said Shireen.

Mia, for one, couldn't believe that everyone was seemingly just as jumpy to meet Bucky as he was. She couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride as the girls subtly fixed their hair, and the boys sat up a little straighter, ready to greet yet another stranger that night.

Bucky began smiling softly as he neared the table, hyperaware that everyone was gawking in a way that wasn't common in his experience. But rather than taking it as a reason to frantically worry, he looked at his girl, all dressed up and bright-eyed, and let the night play out as intended.

Mia got up from her seat and met him a few steps away, asking with a _delighted_ smile, "And what d'you think you're doing here, _James_?"

Bucky touched her fingers lightly with his gloved hand, smiling down at her as he said, "Heard you were having a party without me."

Mia giggled stupidly, still in shock that he was _there_ , that he'd come, and it was just for her. "You ready?"

He nodded, "Let's do this."

Mia turned around and with a hand on his back, introduced him to the awaiting table. "Well, this is a shock. Uh, everyone, this is James. James, this is everyone."

"It's good to meet you, man," said Saleh with a warm smile. "Glad you could make it."

"Likewise," he said as he shook his hand. "Sorry, I didn't catch your names."

By this point, Leo, Gabriel and Jaafar met him with all the excitement they'd shown Mia, and she couldn't have been more grateful. There was laughter and chatter as he made the rounds, coming back towards the girls and greeting them all with a charming smile. They made room for him next to Mia, and once all the formalities were over and done with, the smell of their long-awaited food wafted to the table.

"Here we go," said Nayla with a wide grin.

"Look at that, _wow_ ," marvelled Saleh.

And, right they were. The steaming hot food that the waiter placed before them looked too tempting to keep waiting, and each person dug in without a minute's hesitation. Mia and Bucky shared the large bowl of nachos she'd ordered, and so began a night of firsts.

"So, Jimmy, how're you finding the Big City?" asked Jaafar.

Bucky nodded. "It's great. I grew up in Brooklyn, so it feels like home." He laughed softly, "A lot's changed, though."

"So, what d'you do in DC?" asked Gabe.

"Mostly government contracting stuff. Analytics, pattern development," he repeated like he'd said it dozens of times before.

"You're in _analytics_?" laughed Saleh. "C'mon, man. You can tell us if you're in Special Forces or something, we can keep a secret."

The whole table murmured in agreement, apparently on a similar wavelength. Bucky and Mia laughed as he said, "No, nothing like that."

"A professional skydiver? A rally-art racer? A _lumberjack_?" asked Gabe. "It can't be analytics."

"M'Sorry to disappoint," he said goodnaturedly.

The group branched off into their own conversations, leading to Saleh asking Bucky, "Did you find your way here okay? Traffic's a bitch this time of night."

Bucky nodded and wiped his mouth on a napkin. "Yeah, it was bumper-to-bumper for a good 10 miles. It was a good day for the Harley."

Suddenly, Saleh's attention was captured. "You rode here?" When Bucky nodded, he asked with piqued interest, "Which model is she?"

"A '56 KHK," said Bucky, not expecting the reaction that he'd receive.

Saleh damn near did a spit take with his lime bitters. "A ' _56_? How the hell'd you manage that?"

Bucky lied colourfully, "My friend's a mechanic. They brought one in a while back, it was gonna be stripped for parts. But they fixed it up, said I could have it."

Apparently inwardly dying at this revelation, Mariyah looked to Saleh and asked concernedly, "…Did you eat a pepper again?"

He pointed at Bucky, "He rode here on a '56 KHK."

Mariyah gasped delightedly, "Oh, my God! You're into bikes?"

Bucky and Mia looked at each other, evidently rather amused. "Sure, I always have been. And judging by your fiancé's face, I'm guessin' he is too."

Mariyah slid a hand over Saleh's face affectionately. "Don't mind him, he's kinda _unhealthily_ obsessed. His family ran a string of garages back in Damascus, it's in his blood."

Bucky nodded along, "So, you're from Damascus?"

Recovered from his shock, Saleh replied, "Yeah, both my parents grew up there. I was born in Jersey, though."

Bucky winced a little. "Sorry to hear that."

All those around him laughed knowingly. "Yeah, yeah, bag out Jersey, but whenever anybody needs any cranberries, they come knocking."

Mia furrowed her brows and asked Bucky quietly, "…Is that a euphemism?"

He shook his head. "Nah, they grow the best in the country. Always have."

"That's right. _And,_ being home to Vinny and Pauly D isn't too bad either, am I right?" Saleh said with a light nudge to Bucky's shoulder.

Bucky's initial reaction was to laugh uncomfortably, trying desperately to figure out which fast food chain 'Vinny and Pauly D' was. "Sure."

Seeing his turmoil, Mia snuck a comforting hand onto Bucky's knee, sending him a small smile when he looked her way. She was about to retract it, when Jasmine asked him the inevitable question of the evening. "So, James, you gonna tell us how you found an Australian bombshell in _DC_ of all places?" she teased.

Everyone murmured interestedly, and rather than take the reigns, Mia decided that it was high time she put her fella' to the test. So far, he'd done swimmingly and seemed comfortable enough with the group for a first night out. But with all ears on him and everyone expecting a good story, he'd have to deliver one.

"I think I'll let Mia take this one—" he tried hopelessly.

"No, _qalbi_ , you tell it so much better," she said, lightly squeezing his knee under the table and donning a cheeky grin. "Go on."

Glaring subtly at an all-too pleased Mia, Bucky cleared his throat and thought up something he hoped would convince everyone. "Well, we…uh…we met at her college, actually. Yeah, in the parking lot."

"Did you go to Georgetown as well?" asked Leo innocently.

Bucky stuttered, "No, uh, I was there to…buy some shoes."

… _Wow, I love digging holes, especially when it's in front of my girlfriend and 10 people I hardly fucking know, what the fuck?!_

"Anyway, she finished class and came to the parking lot. I didn't see her again for a few weeks, but when I did, I asked her if I could take her to dinner, and, uh, that's that."

Everyone groaned, particularly the girls, clearly unhappy with the lack of detail he provided. "C'mon, that's some bullshit, man."

"—gotta explain how it happened, Jimmy," said Saleh.

"—did she say yes? Did she say no? Did she pepper spray you?" asked Nayla.

"What kinda shoes did you buy?" asked Gabe.

"Where'd you go on your first date?" questioned Jasmine dreamily.

"Alright, alright, I think we're missing what's important here, guys," reasoned Leo seriously. "How the _fuck_ did Mia say yes to a guy in _analytics_?"

At that, everyone on the table, _including_ Bucky, let out understanding laughs. Mia replied happily, "Well, I didn't really know all that much about him to begin with. Just that we'd met in a creepy car park, and he'd showed up at my tournament a few weeks later to give me a pep talk." Though no one could truly understand the subtext that lay beneath what she said, it mattered only that she and Bucky knew what it meant. It'd been the beginning of so much for them, and though that time in their life had been painful, it'd been important.

They shared a look, one in which words could never suffice, and with another small squeeze of his knee, Mia finished, "Haven't regretted too much since."

After that, the group collectively _aww_ 'd loudly, the girls looking at the couple with love-struck eyes and the boys diving in to hold each others' faces obnoxiously. Bucky laughed in a way that he could get used to, as did the others. And it wasn't long before the entire table had fallen back into smooth conversation and comfortable chatter.

After a good half an hour had passed and the food coma had mostly subsided, the boys continued to talk about something or another, while the girls solidified their plan to let their hair down and have a _ripper_ of a time for the rest of the night.

"Guys, listen," said Mariyah. "Y'all wanna move this party to the salsa floor?"

"Uh-uh, no way, I am _not_ dancing this time," warned Jaafar.

"You don't have to _dance_ , you can stand at those high-topped tables, they've got a bar there as well." Waiting no longer for them to make their choice, she yanked up the girls on either side by the wrist and announced, "C'mon, it'll be great, it'll be fun."

"We'll catch up with you girls in a bit," assured Saleh.

And before Mia knew it, she was pulled away from Bucky and weaving her steps through a series of tables alight with conversation. Beyond the partition lay a spacious wooded dance floor that already had people gliding atop of it. From young men to aged women, they moved without difficulty or care as a lively Spanish tune filled the room. And without even trying, Mia felt the infectious tug of the rhythm begin to move her body.

"Ever done this kinda dance before?" asked Nayla over the deafening noise.

Mia nodded. "One of my girlfriend's back home was Chilean, she took me to these places all the time." She looked at some of the _professionals_ that were tearing up the dance floor enviously. "But it's been a while."

"That doesn't mean a thing, if you've done it before, it's set in your bones, girl." And without warning, Nayla yanked Mia onto the floor, surrounded by a dozen tables of onlookers. Mia laughed nervously at first, looking around and unsure whether to trod back to the safety of the room's corner. But as moments went on, she took comfort in the fact that all the girls with her were having a ball. And rather than over thinking things into oblivion like she sometimes did, Mia simply let go.

And it really was a beautiful thing.

Meanwhile, Leo, Gabe and Jaafar were in the middle of a titillating conversation concerning the exact water-to-syrup ratio needed to make the best cordial, leaving Bucky and Saleh to their own unexpected dialogue.

"So, everything set for the wedding?" Bucky asked politely.

Saleh let out a deep sigh. "Yeah, man. It's been a long time comin', but…to be honest, I just want it to be over and done with."

Bucky furrowed his brows, "How come?"

He chose his words carefully. "Weddings are… _tricky_ in the Arab community. You'd think that there'd be a lot of humility tied into the whole thing, but here in the States, people just lose their fucking minds," he laughed. "It'll be a whole lotta nitpicking and gossiping, and guests telling my parents how it could've been better. It's just…not all it's cracked up to be."

Bucky smiled softly, "Sounds like you've been through it before."

Saleh laughed. "Yeah, I've seen enough of my cousins and relatives get married to know what to expect. And me and Mari…y'know, we wanted something simple. Really, we just wanted to say our vows in front of a holy man, have a few family members there, and then keep the reception small. But…" he shrugged, "Guess everyone's opinion matters expect for the bride and groom's."

"Big wedding, huh?" he guessed.

He scoffed. "It'll be unlike anything the community's seen before, courtesy of my parents, aunts and uncles." He shook his head almost immediately, as if he realised how much he hated his tone. "But I'm just being a fucking downer. There's nothing to complain about. All that matters is that I get to marry my best friend in a couple'a weeks. Life's sweet, man."

Bucky smiled and the two grew quiet for a while before Saleh piped up, "So, what about you two, then?" He smiled, "How long've you been together?"

Bucky guessed, "I've known her since the start of the year, but we've been goin' steady for a couple'a months."

Saleh laughed quietly, "Yeah, Mari won't quit talking about her. I've never seen her like that with anyone." At Bucky's surprised expression, he elaborated, "I mean she's got cousins and some family here, but…no one that she's ever been close to, not really. But with Mia, she says she feels like herself, y'know."

Bucky nodded understandingly. "She has that affect."

Saleh asked interestedly, "Your folks met her yet?"

Bucky shook his head, a brief image of his parents splaying at the forefront of his thoughts. "They passed when I was young."

Saleh's face fell. "Oh, shit, I'm sorry, man." He said solemnly, "Yeah, Mari told me about Mia's parents. Hell, even Arsala _khaala_ knew 'em well. She's a strong girl, and I'm guessing her brother's the same."

Bucky believed in that fact with more conviction than most things in his life. "She takes it all in a stride. You'd never know what she's faced if she didn't tell you," he said, almost to himself.

After a moment's quiet, Saleh told Bucky determinedly, "Well, now that we've met, there's no way you're getting out of coming to the wedding."

Bucky smiled gratefully. "Thanks, man, but I don't know—"

"Nope, don't fight it, man. It'll be swell, Mia's gonna be there anyway. We'll put you at her table, you guys are gonna have a good night. Even if we don't," he quipped.

Bucky smiled acceptingly and nodded. He looked down at his drink, swirling it lazily in his hand and warning his thoughts to stay firmly at bay. Talk of weddings and ceremonies and grand gestures shouldn't have meant much to him, but now that he had someone, _the_ one, to imagine it all with…well, he could hardly blame himself.

"I'm guessing the girls are drunk-grinding some old guy right about now, so I think we should go make sure the poor dude's okay," said Leo as the men stood up from the table.

As they made their way past the partition, they were momentarily blinded by the streaming disco lights and deafened by the blaring music. But once they sat down at a table near the corner of the room, surrounded by cigar smoke and the thick smell of Scotch, each fella' sought out his girl among the crowd on the dance floor.

 _Chantaje – By Shakira ft. Maluma_

When Bucky first saw that a circle had formed around two women in the middle of the room, the very _very_ last thought he had on his mind was that Mia would be at the centre of it. And yet, when some people made space and left an opening for a clear view, Bucky's heart damn well fell to the floor and felt like it'd been violently stepped on _repeatedly_.

In the middle was Mia and one of the professional dancers there that night, their bodies moving in sync as people sang along excitedly around them. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that it was Mia who was holding the other girl's waist and then her hands while spinning her back into herself. And when the time came, he most _certainly_ couldn't believe that it was _his_ girl who was dancing back against another woman, innocent as it was.

Unsurprisingly, Bucky's eyes fell to his girl's hips as they sashayed towards the lady, leaning in and out and side to side as the chorus climaxed. The tight dress she'd worn certainly didn't help his predicament, neither did the sheen of sweat covering her skin as it glowed under the warm light.

But more than anything, Bucky had realised that the next time Mia said she was 'okay' at something, it really meant that she'd received some super-secret Jedi level training, and was somehow almost at par with the _actual_ professional she was dancing with. He didn't realise that his mouth had been open while he gawked on, and he only broke out of his stupor when the boys behind him began to talk.

"Is that _Mia_?" asked Saleh.

"Holy fuck," mumbled Gabe.

"I'm pretty sure my missus is that girl sleeping in the corner," pointed out Jaafar.

Bucky's eyes remained solely on her as the song drew to an end. He'd seen her do some surprising things before, but he hadn't expected this in the least. When the small crowd began cheering and hollering, Mia and the woman with her laughed breathlessly, wiping their foreheads and bowing ceremoniously as the circle dispersed. The girls nestled around Mia and chattered away loudly, all saying something along the lines of 'what the fuck, where did you learn to dance like that?!'

It took her longer still to notice him sitting with the others on a table, and when she caught sight of the way his eyes were steadily locked on her, a story-like rush coursed through her body. The other men got up to go see their girlfriends, tossing Mia a 'that was _fucking_ awesome' as they passed by. Only Bucky was left, perched on his chair and looking a little undone after the ordeal.

When the DJ mercifully played a slow song next to give the crowd a break, almost everyone paired up and took their place on the wooded floorboards. Mia, however, took the chance to do something she and Bucky had only every done once before, and that too, in the privacy of her own home. She didn't know if he'd say yes, but she hoped for it dearly.

 _Tuyo – By Rodrigo Amarante_

The hypnotic sound spilled from the speakers and into the very bones of those in the room, serving as a guide for their sways. Mia strode her way towards him, a pleading look on her face as she came to stand at his feet. All she offered was a simple gesture, an extended hand, and a disarming smile that'd led him to so much trouble in the past.

But he was an absolute _sucker._

Bucky stood in front of her, a full head taller than her as he peered into her baby browns. But rather than joining the others on the dance floor, he took her arms and curled them around his neck, while his fell lazily to the small of her back. They began moving, nothing brash or grand, and let the music say what they couldn't.

 _You, the air that I breathe_

 _And the moonlight in the sea_

 _The throat I want to wet_

 _That I am afraid of throttling_

 _And what desires are you going to give me?_

And strangely enough, neither of them said a word. Their gazes remained on one another unmovingly, and they stayed away from the crowd, in their own little pocket of the room. They preferred it that way. And as they swayed to and fro, they somehow grew closer. There, in a stuffy room with a billion strangers and no privacy, they grew closer.

 _You say, "My treasure is enough just by looking at it"_

 _It will be yours_

 _It will be yours_

And perhaps, dear readers, it was as the Spanish guitar sounded its last chord and Mia's pink lips stole his gaze once more, that Bucky Barnes came to know a great truth about his life;

Fate be damned, he would spend the rest of it by her side.

X

 _Qalbi_ – A common Arabic term of endearment, meaning 'my heart'


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes: HAI Y'ALL! So, this is a little different to what I normally do but I wrote this one shot and wanted to add it into the main story, because it's about one of my favourite characters and I feel like it belonged here. It's a lot shorter than usual, but I wanna do this every once in a while because I love writing Mel, and she's the kinda friend we all deserve to have, c'monnnn. :'))))**

 **But most of all, this is for my real-life best friend, whose birthday it is today. She's the inspiration for this character, and she's the best damn person anyone could have in their corner. I love you, jaan. End of the line and beyond, and happy birthday.**

 **Much love,**

 **\- M**

 **XXX ONE SHOT XXX**

Y'know, there are things in life that kinda suck.

Stubbing your toe on the corner of a table sucks. Pouring your cereal and realising you don't have enough milk sucks. Driving 34 miles to your favourite kebab joint only to find out that they're out of doner meat for the day _really_ sucks.

But having to say goodbye to someone you'd barely had the chance to love didn't suck…

…It damn near breaks your heart.

Mel's therapeutic visit to NYC had begun in the way she'd longed for. She and Mia had spent 3 nights in a row staying up late, eating too much ice cream and watching Disney movies that they were too old for but hadn't yet outgrown. She'd cried, and laughed, and _cried_ , and fell asleep on her best friend's shoulder, only to wake up and do it all over again.

She missed him, simple as that. And what hurt her most wasn't that he had to leave the States. No, it was the fact that she'd finally let herself become comfortable with the idea of someone sticking around. And while they hadn't _actually_ gone on a whole bunch of dates – or even _done the deed_ – she couldn't help but feel like she'd just lost one of the most important people in her life.

But that all changed when she was back in the company of her girl and her adoptive Syrian family. As expected, _khaala_ had welcomed her into their New York apartment with open arms, while Mia and Zeyn gave her all the unsolicited advice she had no idea she needed. It was perfect, and even in a foreign city, they managed to make it feel like home. And when the one week mark finally hit, she could feel things start to look up.

"That's it, you're going sightseeing," Mia had said to her that morning. "Put on a sexy outfit and walk the streets, babe."

"I think it's a little too early in the day for me to wear a 'sexy outfit'," said Mel.

Mia scoffed. "No, it's not."

"…It's 6:40am, Mia," she deadpanned.

Mia waved her arms dismissively and went about raiding Mel's suitcase. "It doesn't matter. What _matters_ is that you need to leave this apartment and get a feel for the city, walk around," Mia teased, "Meet some cute bearded fellas' on the sidewalk."

Mel fell back onto the bed unceremoniously. "It took me 22 fucking years to meet a guy I liked. I'm preparing myself to be in the mid-50s by the time I meet another one."

Mia chucked a pair of jeans over her shoulder, accidentally hitting Mel in the face. "You're being dramatic. Look, Richy's an A1 kinda guy, I won't sugarcoat it. And it really kills me that you guys aren't together anymore." Mia shook her head, "But I'll be damned if I let you mope around for the rest of the year, crying over the same guy when you could be getting some Grade A dic—"

"Don't finish that sentence, _don't_ ," said Mel as she covered her ears. "Stop polluting my innocent mind."

Mia mumbled, "Says the girl that read _50 Shades_ on an aeroplane."

"Hey!" she reasoned, "2011 was a really tough year for me and it was Number 1 on the Best-Seller List and _I didn't know it was about whipping virgins_."

"…Which is why you read all 3 books?" Mia grinned.

Mel grew dangerously red. "I had to…make sure…they were all…terrible?" She groaned, "Why are you like this?"

Mia finally picked out an outfit for her heartbroken friend and tossed it at her. "You're gonna get ready, haul your ass to the subway and catch the first train that stops in front of you. Doesn't matter where it takes you, just ride it 'til it stops."

Mel hated herself, because regardless of the horrid state she was in, the compulsion to say what follows festered in her very bones. "That's what she said," she whispered, only to whine, " _I hate myself_."

Mia yanked on one of her arms, "You can't just 'sexual innuendo' your way out of this, Mel! Get up."

Failing to remember a time where she'd been this reluctant to do _anything_ , Mel gave in simply because her best friend deserved to have a day where she wouldn't worry about her. With a heavy sigh, and assuring Mia that the only reason she was doing this was for her love, Mel got herself cleaned up and ready in her outfit. She grabbed her bag and charger, thanked _khaala_ for the morning coffee and made her way to the station.

She'd take on the day in this new and strange city, and irrespective of her numerous doubts, there was a small, albeit hopeful part of her that thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Little did she know that this would change _everything_.

X

"And we gotta be ready, sistah'. 'Cos when Christ returns, we're gonna have to decide; red kidney beans or jalapenos. You cannot run from the Messiah! No, ma'am."

Mel nodded along, courteous as ever, while the third homeless man she'd come across that day engaged her in a 5 minute sermon about the return of Christ. She shook her head, "Thank you so much, Gary, but I'm kinda in a rush, so could you please tell me which way you said the park was?"

A little hurt that his newfound friend was abandoning him, Gary gave Mel the wrong directions and said raspily, "You gotta follow this street for half a mile then turn left."

Mel smiled sweetly and shook his hand gratefully. "Thanks, man. I'll see you around!"

And with that, she set off on her journey, covering the 3rd mile she'd walked after getting off at Queens – or at least that's where she _thought_ she was – with the promise of Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Her phone was on roaming, so she figured she'd only use 4G if it was absolutely necessary. In the meantime, she was simply enjoying the beautiful day that New York presented her with.

It was neither too hot nor too humid, and that in itself put Mel in a chipper mood. Her hair was secured at the base of her neck, and she saw the world through sepia sunglasses. The sidewalks were bustling, probably due to the fact that most people were on summer break. There were businessmen walking to their jobs and young kids skating their way along the pavement. The buildings that towered around her were both new and old, some renovated and some ancient. There was convenience store after convenience store, and the upbeat vibe that the city projected strangely made her feel all-too at ease.

But when 45 minutes passed and she _still_ couldn't find the blasted park, Mel's impatience was inching to its verge. With the sun fully risen in the sky and her sinuses playing up _again_ , she needed to find some water, a chocolate bar and a bag of Sweet Chilli & Sour Cream chips _fast._

Wandering into the first corner store she crossed, Mel's blood pressure almost died down instantly when she was hit with the icy air blowing from the vent inside. She took in the place, charmingly run-down and a little worse for wear, but exactly the kind of joint she loved buying bits and bobs from. It looked to be a deli as well, with half of the store sectioned off for a cheese counter, and the other half filled with aisles worth of cholesterol-inducing goods.

In other words, _Jannah_.

Because she couldn't see anyone else around, Mel figured the owner might've been out back somewhere. Out of sheer exhaustion, she got out her wallet and dropped her backpack at the beginning of an aisle, meandering her way through and doing her darndest to not grab everything she saw.

After a few minutes had gone by and she'd found a bunch of useless things to waste her money on, Mel deposited it all on the counter and neared the deli section. Behind a liftable partition lay fresh green olives, marinated mussels, every type of sausage known to man and cheese…

 _So_ much cheese.

Appetising as it all looked, _particularly_ her favourite vegetable – the olive – Mel innocently reached down and picked one (which she had full intention of paying for). She'd expected your run-of-the-mill olive, kind of tangy but overall _irresistible._ But when she bit into it for the first time, she felt every one of her senses _overwhelmingly_ urge her to spit it out.

"Tastes like shit, doesn't it?" asked a voice from beneath the counter.

"Ah!" Mel jumped, her eyes widened with shock at the unexpectedly deep voice. "Wha—Hello?"

She could hear someone tightening something underneath the checkout counter, and before long, the voice returned. "The olive."

Mel leaned over slightly to try and find the source of the man's voice, only to jolt back in momentary fear when someone emerged from beneath the cabinet, a wrench in hand and a tea towel thrown over his shoulder. And when her eyes managed to reach his face…

 _Well_ …'fear' wasn't exactly the word she'd use to describe what she felt.

The man before her stood at a solid 6'3, with a broad frame that was poorly hidden under the simple black tee he wore. Brown eyes, pale skin and wavy hair that barely brushed his shoulders, with beauty spots speckling the high points of his face. These were all things that Mel noticed before they'd even had the chance to exchange another word, but her thought process was interrupted soon thereafter.

"Oh," he said, apparently caught off-guard.

She gulped. "Oh?"

She couldn't (breathe) ignore the not-so-subtle way his eyes flickered to each point of her face, before quickly glancing down the rest of her body and returning to her eyes. "I thought you were a man."

Mel's face fell. "Uhm…I'm sorry to…disappoint?"

The man shook his head. "No, that came out wrong. There's a—See, there's this jackass that comes by here every day, 'round about this time and bags a bunch of olives without paying for 'em." He wiped his hands on the towel, "So the guy who owns this joint switched out the oil-soaked olives for sardine-soaked ones."

Mel's face distorted in mild disgust. "You soaked it in _sardine_ juice?"

He nodded, his gaze oddly direct. "He hasn't been here in a week, so I guess we're doin' something right." When Mel laughed a little, he offered, "You want some regular-human olives?"

Mel nodded with a relieved smile. "Regular-human olives sound great." As the man bent down to retrieve his stash, she asked to ease the silence, "Are you sure that guy doesn't knick anything else when he comes in here?"

He got out a new plastic box and began pouring some olives into it, shaking his head, "These are the only things he's willing to commit a felony for."

Mia quirked a brow, "Well, have you ever considered calling the cops?"

He smiled and for a moment, it left Mel completely disarmed. He replied, "My brother's already on a caution, I don't wanna fuck things up for him."

Mel couldn't help the loud laugh the escaped her lips, making the man turn and quirk a small smile himself. "Your _brother'_ s the Olive Thief?"

He shrugged in a 'whad'ya gonna do' kinda way. "He's a good kid, but my ole' man's trying stave him off'a his addiction."

He meant it as a joke, and Mel's quiet laughter almost seemed like a small victory for him, as he hid a grin himself. "I'm guessing your dad runs this place?"

He nodded. "43 years and counting. The Ryder family's pride and joy."

Mel simply couldn't help herself. "Are you…y'know…related to Winona?"

The man nodded, dead serious. "She's my aunt."

Her mouth fell open. "She _is_?"

"No," he said truthfully.

"Oh."

"She's my godmother," he said plainly.

Mel eyed him suspiciously, "Really?"

"No," he said, this time with a small laugh, as though she should _somehow_ know better. "I actually don't know a thing about her besides the fact she was on…what's it called… _Danger Strings_?"

Mel stopped herself from full-blown laughing in his face. " _Stranger Things_?"

He clicked his fingers. "That's the one." Mel seemed like she was about to ask for her things to be bagged, but before she could, he stumbled out unexpectedly, "Can I know your name?"

"Meltem," she said, and it occurred to her that for the first time in almost 3 years, she'd introduced herself with her full name, without its shortened version. It was strange, and she didn't know why she'd done it, but it seemed to capture the man's intrigue.

"Meltem? Meltem…" he said, as though testing it out on his tongue. "I've met some Merlin's before, but I've never met a Meltem." He cocked his head, "Where's it from?"

She fiddled with her shirt a little nervously, a much-needed distraction for when topics focused on her. "Uh, it's Turkish, actually. My mum's side."

He asked a little forwardly, "And your father?" When he realised how that might've sounded incredibly invasive, the man retracted, "I'm sorry, that was…weird—"

"No," she assured him, maybe a little _too_ quickly. "I don't…I don't mind sharing." The man listened intently as she said, "He's Irish."

"Turkish and Irish," he repeated. "That's really somethin'."

For reasons beyond her understanding, Mel's breathing wavered slightly and his insistence upon weirdly intense eye contact wasn't helping things at all. "What about you?"

"Y'mean where's my dad from?" he asked.

"What's your name?" she clarified.

"Ah. Adam," he divulged, only to extend his hand over the counter and shake hers politely. Mel couldn't help but smile softly, a strange feeling unravelling in her stomach the longer she stayed in the corner store. But all that was replaced by confusion when he asked all-too seriously, "Do you like cheese?"

Mel paused, certain she'd heard this in a Channing Tatum movie before. "Do I like…cheese?" He nodded, and she said, "Well…sure, I love cheese."

He followed up, "What's your favourite?"

Mel paused. "Uh…my favourite cheese?" He nodded, "Well, y'know…the…block one?"

A mild look of outrage spread across his face. "You buy blocked cheese?"

Mel grew a shade redder under his curious eye. "Look, it's easy to slice up, and it doesn't go bad for a hell'uva lot longer than most of the fancy ones, so…yes."

Adam nodded in apparent understanding, but suddenly turned his back to her and fished out a pair of tongs, only to slide open the mini-glass partition of the cheese deli and begin putting an assortment of cubed products onto a mini tray. "You need a favourite cheese."

Mel couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of that very sentence, one she hadn't expected to hear in her lifetime, let alone that day. "And I'm guessing…these are the options I have?"

"They're the only options you need," he said seriously. "If you don't like any of these, then you're either lactose intolerant or a 20th century communist. In either case, I don't think this shop's the one for you."

As he placed the tray in front of her, Mel looked over the undeniably tempting large cubes of cheeses. She couldn't remember a time she'd ever been in a situation like this, but if it'd done one thing, it was get her mind off of past heartaches that shouldn't matter anymore.

"Alright," she said with a decisive nod. "Which one should I try first?"

"Go for the Gouda, the one at the front," he said as he sat up on the bench.

Mel stuck a toothpick into the soft cube and only hesitated a bit before looking to Adam and taking his nod as encouragement enough. She chewed on it slowly, and no sooner understood why it'd been Amanda Bynes' favourite in _She's The Man._

"Yeah, that's alright," she nodded agreeably. "Tastes familiar."

"That's 'cos you've probably had it on a sandwich before and didn't realise," he figured. "Alright, Butterkäse next," he said as he downed a few ripe grapes from behind him.

And so, Mel went through another 5 cheeses, each unique and tasty in their own way. Having not known much beyond the fact that dairy by-products were delicious, Mel was somewhat lost in the new experience and could feel the tightness that'd stunted her stature slowly dissipating. The introduction of an oddly charming stranger into her day had only bettered it, and little did she know just how far things would go.

"Last one, okay," he said with surrendered hands. "The Roquefort," he pointed.

Mel stabbed her toothpick in one last time and examined the peculiar looking cube. Now used to the process, she chewed on it and took her time to single out the flavours, both new and familiar. Her first thought was that it tasted _much_ better than it smelt, and the more she traced her teeth with her tongue, the richer the flavour grew.

"Oh, that's really nice," she said. "Wow, it's kinda…hazelnutty."

"It's s'pposed to be," he nodded, watching her intently.

She examined the full block that sat in the frozen section before her. "What's all that chocolate-chip stuff on it?"

Adam paused. "Mould."

" _For the love of Christ, no_ , please don't say that," she stepped back immediately. "Why'd you have to say that, I was doing fine, man."

Apparently that was downright _hilarious_ , leaving him in a row of hysterics as he laughed deeply, his eyes shutting and the dimple in his right cheek forming for the first time. Mel should've been kinda upset by the fact that she'd been tricked into eating mould by a complete stranger, but she was having _way_ too much fun to do such a thing. And it felt good.

…Really good.

"I'm sorry, hey—I'm sorry," he said with his hands at surrender. "But c'mon, the Gouda and the Feta were nice."

She shook her head and asked directly, "How old is it?"

"Not that old in cheese years," he said with a straight face, but her scrutinising look broke his resolve. "A year."

Mel's mouth fell open as she whispered, " _A year_?" She blinked slowly, "12 _months_?"

He ran a hand through his jet black hair. "How could you _not_ know that cheese is supposed to be aged? Everyone knows that. _Toddlers_ know that."

Mel laughed sadly, "Listen, I grew up in a repair shop, not a delicatessen. I don't know about this stuff any more than I know about…17th century postal services."

Adam seemed torn between intrigued and saddened at her lack of understanding regarding dairy culture. "What kinda repair shop?"

Mel sighed a little. "A garage—Look, you made me eat mould, don't try to avoid the penalty," she said, a imperceptible glimmer of cheekiness in her tone, one she hadn't heard in a while.

"What's the penalty?" he asked, clearly amused.

She crossed her arms. "How about $5 off the total cost of all the cheeses I ate?"

Suddenly, Adam's face grew a little serious. "You're not paying for those cubes," he said resolutely.

Mel laughed softly. "Uh, _of course_ I am, some of this stuff was $12 per 50g, and you gave me _a lot_ more than that."

"It was a free testing, I'm the one who asked you to do it," he said determinedly. "Same goes for the olives."

Mel felt a pang of warmth at the sentiment, knowing full well that the cost would've at least surpassed $20, not to mention the half a kilo worth of olives he'd packed for her. "I can't let you do that."

"Sure you can," he said lightly,

"No, really, I—"

"My shop, my discount rates," he said, still looking at her unwaveringly. Without another word, he bagged everything, along with the candy she's put on the counter earlier, and slid it over the bench. Clearly, he wasn't too keen on the idea of her paying.

Mel shook her head instantly and decided, "There's no _way_ I'm not gonna pay for all the junk food, that's not happening." Mel got out change for $15 and left it on the bench, "That's all the cash I have on me right now, but…" she looked up at him, "Thanks for all the help."

He shook his head softly. "Anytime," he mumbled.

She couldn't help but feel a little …well, a little _strange_ as she took the bag and backed her way to the door. It was unreasonable, really, but as she neared the exit, an inexplicable voice in her head hoped he'd call her back and keep the conversation going. She took deliberately slow steps, and when she finally reached the glass door of the shop, she turned back and sent a small smile his way. He returned in kind, without a word, but keen eyes following her as she left the store.

For reasons he couldn't quite explain, he'd wanted her to stay just that little bit longer as well.

X

She left the corner store on Andrea Street feeling…lighter.

After another few miles of walking, Mel eventually found the coveted park she'd been searching for, and spent an hour strolling under the shade the canopies provided. There were people whizzing by her on bicycles and skateboards and couples lazing under oak trees, all shrouded by a warm July sun. She treated herself to some ice cream from a local vender and took photos of the life that surrounded her. And when she found a shady spot of her own, she took out the olives and remaining cheese, smiling stupidly as she played the encounter back in her mind.

She recounted the entire ordeal to Mia when she called, and it was only when she realised that her phone was about to die at 3% battery, that her reverie was shattered and the absence of a very important article was noticed.

" _Holy fuck_ , where's my bag?" she gasped into the receiver.

Mia said from the other side, "What? What d'you mean 'where's my bag'? Didn't you have it with you this whole time?"

Mel looked around frantically and clapped a hand to her forehead. "No, I took out my phone and wallet at the store, but I put my bag at the beginning of one of the aisles," she said with her head hung back. "I guarantee someone's stolen it by now."

Ever the voice of reason, Mia comforted, "Listen, don't stress, okay? All you've gotta do is go back to the cornershop and see if the sexy deli-man kept it safe behind the counter or something."

Mel shook her head vehemently. "I can't go back there, he'll think I'm stalking him!"

Mia fell silent. "…You left your _valuables_ in his shop! Going to retrieve them doesn't classify as 'stalking', Melon."

Mel groaned loudly, stealing the attention of an elderly couple walking by. "It's gonna take me at _least_ 45 minutes to walk back there, it's not even on the way to the train station."

Mia said, "Well, you could always just get an Uber."

Mel squinted, "And risk near-certain murder? Uh-uh, no way, I wanna live today, son."

"Then your only choice is to walk it out and go see the shopkeeper that sounds _disturbingly_ similar to that guy from _The Force Awakens._ "

Mel squinted, "John Boyega?"

Mia rolled her eyes. " _No_ , man. The one that wants to Force-bang Rey."

Mel nodded. " _Oh_ , Pylo Ren?" she asked, both friends horrifyingly bad at remembering names.

"Yeah, that's the one," said Mia. "Go back to Pylo, get your bag, _and_ get his number."

Mel sighed, picking her pants of grass that'd caught on. "You didn't see this guy, Mia. There's no fucking way I can get his number."

Mia's voice visibly changed. "Go ahead, talk shit about my best friend one more time, I dare you, I double-fucking-dare you, Mel." Mel could tell she was shaking her head. "From everything you've told me, he's probably beating himself up about why he didn't ask you for _your_ number right about now."

Mel laughed at the absurdity. "I highly doubt that."

Mia cracked her knuckles and began, "He said 'I was expecting a man', then did the full up-down eye-fuck thing, _then_ you said he pretty much force-fed you exotic cheeses, all while staring at you intensely, _then_ made you take 500g of fresh olives and leftover cheese for _free_?!" Mia laughed humourlessly, "You don't even have to be a shrink to know that's classic 'I wanna bang your _mind_ ' behaviour."

Mel blinked disturbedly. "…I really don't need that visual."

Mia let out a deep breath. "Stop stalling, get out of that creepy-as pedo park—"

"Hey, it's not a pedo park—"

"—and reunite with Milo Yen at the cornershop, ask him for his number, and come back home so we can find him on Instagram." When Mia could tell that Mel hadn't moved, she threatened, "I will literally drive to Queens and give your number to him _myself—_ "

"Alright, alright, relax, I'm going," said Mel, grabbing her things and making her way out of the park. The sun was gradually lowering itself and left the sky a spectacular tinge of pink, but she didn't have time to appreciate its beauty as she hurried her way back to the store. She felt nervous this time, and realistically, she shouldn't have. This was probably just another customer encounter for him out of the hundreds of people that frequented the shop every day. Surely, she was blowing this way out of proportion.

She'd go there, get her bag, and _sprint_ outta the shop, she told herself. She was recovering from a breakup, and this was just her uber-hormonal mind playing tricks on her vulnerable heart. She was just latching herself to the first nice stranger she met, and there was no way on God's green Earth that 10 minutes spent at a cornerstore would amount to anything more than just another part of her day.

By the time Mel was a few streets away, she'd convinced herself of the triviality of the entire situation. She was secure in the fact that this wasn't a big deal, and that's the mindset she walked across the intersection with. But when she neared the store and saw a man _frighteningly_ similar to Adam waiting at its entrance, holding a bag _alarmingly_ similar to hers and looking around anxiously…

…She knew she was royally fuc—

"Adam?" she asked disbelievingly.

He turned around immediately and couldn't hide the relief on his face. "Oh, hi." He kept nodding, a _lot_ more nervous than he had been earlier on in the day, and it took a few seconds of awkward silence for him to remember, "Right, you, uh, you forgot your bag."

Mel took it from his extended hand and said gratefully, "God, thank you so much. I really thought someone would've nicked it by now."

He shook his head. "Nah, I noticed it a few minutes after you left, but I couldn't find you anywhere close by, so…"

Mel's heart expanded roughly to the size of a car radiator. "You tried finding me?"

 _What the fresh fuck, that sounded so 7_ _th_ _Grade, sweet Lord._

"Well, I mean…," he mumbled, "…Yeah." Realising that she was temporarily immobilised, he cleared his throat, "But I figured you'd be back 'round to get it when you couldn't find it, so…"

The two stood a few feet apart on the mildly busy sidewalk, both _kinda_ at a loss as to what would happen next. "Well, I can't thank you enough. For the bag, and the olives and…cheese," she laughed.

He shrugged. "S'no problem, just being an upstanding citizen," he said, the ghost of a smirk on his lips.

Mel smiled toothily and could hear Mia's voice somewhere in the back of her head _pleading_ to get his number. And if she'd had a bit more courage when it came to moments like these, she would've. But the fear of rejection was a little too high, just as it'd been with Richy.

Thankfully, that didn't stop Adam.

"Listen, uh…" he started, "You're new here, aren't you?"

Mel laughed softly. "Is it that obvious?"

He cocked his head, "A little bit." Scuffing his shoes on the pavement, he said, "But if you want, I mean, y'know, if you want then I could, maybe…show you around sometime." When Mel's face fell a little in utter shock, he said, "Y'know, it's a big city, it might just help if you had a local clue you in on a few places. Nothing crazy."

Caught between sucker-punching herself in the face and asking every resident of Queens why on Earth a guy like him wanted to spend time with _her_ , Mel's delayed reaction served as the perfect opportunity for a young kid to emerge from the store and interrupt the conversation.

"Ad, Billy called on the landline," said the 16 year old who bore a striking resemblance to Adam. "He asked why you're 40 minutes late for your shift."

Adam's face grew a little serious. "What'd you tell him?"

"That you've been too busy waitin' on a girl for the last 2 hours," he said with a small laugh, turning to Mel and nodding respectfully, "Ma'am."

Face now a firey red, Mel nodded back with a stunned smile and watched on as Adam essentially shoved his little brother back into the store, somewhat flustered by the looks of it. "Sorry about that," he mumbled. "Should've put him up for adoption when we had the chance."

Mel stumbled out, "You have another shift someplace?"

He nodded. "Yeah, down at the precinct."

She asked, "Oh, so you're a cop?"

He shook his head. "Fireman."

 _And suddenly, the incredible build and amazing height and annoyingly good looks all make sense, because_ of course _he's a fireman._

"Of course you're a fireman," she accidentally whispered out loud.

"What?"

"What?" she repeated. "Nothing—Ehm, I, uh…" she regathered her thoughts. "I…you really didn't have to stay back just to give me my bag."

Adam ran a nervous hand through his hair but ultimately admitted, "Yeah. Yeah, I did." He reasoned, "I would've left it with my brother, but…I wanted to…make sure it got to you okay." He shook his head, as though fighting with the thoughts in his head, "No, well, and I wanted to see you."

Mel's face had now boiled to the shade of a red pepper and her mouth wasn't gonna close any time soon as he took a chance once more.

"So, if it's okay with you, I'd like to take you out sometime," he nodded, as though amping himself up. "Yeah, I really would."

While there were about a hundred reasons why this wasn't a great idea, the first of which being that she didn't want to rush into things so soon after Richy, none of them quite came to mind when Adam looked at Mel hopefully and waited for a reply. The only thing that hovered in her mind was the chance at a new source of happiness, and fleeting as it may be, she deserved it.

"Yeah," she said with a small smile. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Adam's eyes widened, "Yeah?"

She let out a small laugh, "Sure, let's do it."

"Alright," he said, relief flooding his face, "Ha, okay, uh, can I get your number? Or your carrier pigeon's address, either one works."

Mel laughed with her head tossed back, taking her phone out and exchanging details with a stranger she hadn't met before that morning. The two talked for a few more minutes, still inconveniencing people in the middle of the side walk and not caring a bit that they were. It wasn't until Adam realised that he'd be a full hour late to work that he said a hasty goodbye, leaving Mel to go home in an entirely different frame of mind than she'd set out with.

She wasn't sure whether this would amount to anything, and that should've put her off. But the spontaneity of it all and the fact that it was so unlike anything she'd ever done before added to the excitement, and who knows, she thought.

Maybe this would be the start of something wonderful.

X

 _Jannah_ – Paradise


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes: BOIIIIIIII AHHHHHHH, hey guys :')) So, I had this chapter ready to post and everything but thennnnn we had a MAJOR storm and the electricity went out, so MY BAD for posting a day late, loves! Hope youse are all doing well, and mannnnnnnnnn y'all are patient :'))) SO thankyouuuu so much!**

 **Okay, so there are a few notes about this chapter that I just wanna clear up. First of all, there's A LOT of Arabic in this one, and all the translations are at the end, as always, but I'm really sorry if it's annoying to keep going down and checking themmm :'(( Also, there's a certain *ehm ehm* belly dancing scene in this chapter, and I highly recommend listening to the music, just because it's amazing and the artist is too talented for words, ANDDD it might help get a sense of the mood of the scene, babbbesss.**

 **If you were wondering what kind of belly dancing I was alluding to, you can go onto YouTube and type in 'Susana Valadares Raul', and choose the first video (the one where she's in a red belly dancing outfit) – ANDD you can type in 'Chloe Morello Bellydance' and choose the first one (she's actually performing** _ **bachata**_ **, which is similar to bellydancing and has a lot of the same roots,** _ **and**_ **she's incredible in it :')))) Okay so hopefully those two will help if you're tryna figure out what it'll look like!**

 _ **Anddddd**_ **to the Guest asking whether the Trump comment was when he was running for office, it** _ **sureeeee**_ **was hun, and then the Orange Man actually became president, and now most of us cry ourselves to sleep every night :'))))) Seriously, how did tHIS HAPPEN, PEOPLE?!**

 **Okay, I've gone completely off track. But thanks for all the support, ggguyyysss. Y'all are the best, and I hope you enjoy! Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 31

"Okay, a little to the right," instructed Mel, with one eye closed and the other focused firmly on the portrait Zeyn was busy putting up.

"How's that?" he asked.

"A little more," she guided. "Keep going…keep going—There!"

"You sure?"

"100%" she nodded. "Just drill the holes in."

He sighed softly. "If it's not in the middle this time, you're gonna re-putty the whole wall, ya' hear?"

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "You give the wrong direction twice and all of a sudden no one trusts your carpentry skills."

The pair were currently among a team of people who'd come to start up Zeyn's new gym. That's right, it was finally happening. Half of the equipment had already come in, and the other half would arrive in a day or so. The front desk was completely ready, the sparring rings were padded, and the walls had been plastered with all the memorabilia Zeyn could get his keen hands on. The ample amount of space they'd been gifted hadn't gone to waste, and judging by the look of things, they'd be getting their hands busy pretty damn soon.

"Paulie, hey, c'mere man." Zeyn slung an arm over his trusty foreman's shoulder. "Whad'you think?"

Paulie wiped his forehead as he looked over the whopping 2 metre portrait of Gennady Golovkin that Zeyn had hung above the training mirror. "Uh…I'm thinkin' it looks a little crooked, boss."

Mel tried to tip-toe her way as far as she could, but was no sooner stopped by Zeyn's booming voice saying, " _Melon_!"

She winced. "Alright, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Look, it's not that bad! And the nail holes are barely noticeable. Just take it out, I'll try again."

"Uh-uh," he walked up to her and snatched up the tub of putty from the floor. "Y'know, there's this ancient proverb that goes a little like, _stop blowin' holes in my ship_ ," he said seriously. "The walls are my ship, kid. And 'cos you love defiling them so much, you're gonna have a fun time filling them in."

Mel knocked her head back and took the bucket from him. "Can't I just clean the counter again?"

"You've cleaned it 4 times," he said plainly. "I'm not paying you to do the chores you like."

"You're not paying me at all," she pointed out.

Zeyn paused. "Well, not with that attitude, I'm not." His big brother-senses kicked in all too quickly as Mel went to _actually_ re-putty that holes she'd helped create. "Alright, whad'you want? Name a price."

It didn't take long for Mel to break. "2 falafels, extra hummus, no lettuce?"

"Drink?"

" _Uludağ_ ," she said with a knowing smile, referring to her favourite Turkish drink.

Zeyn let out a deep breath, "See, this is why having a little sister is a fucking job."

"Why's that?" Mel asked.

He shook his head as he began walking away, "'Cos her fucking friends become your sisters, too."

 _Clearly_ meant as a stab but taken as a gushing compliment, Mel beamed, "You're a gem, _abi_!"

"Yeah, yeah," he waved dismissively, walking out of his new training gym with a stubborn smile on his face.

Mel wasn't left alone for too long, because within a few minutes of her new task, Mia walked out of the storeroom and rejoined her. Clearly distressed, she said to Mel with hands on her hips, "You won't believe what Mariyah just asked me to do."

"Lick your elbow?" she guessed.

Mia furrowed her brows. "…Take another stab at it."

Carefully climbing down the ladder, Mel asked, "Is it anything clam-related?" At Mia's blank expression in response, Mel shrugged, "Then I have no idea."

Mia sighed, "Her girlfriends were supposed to do this major belly-dancing routine for her _sahra_ , but one of them _sprained her pelvis_." Mia blinked slowly, "I didn't even know you _could_ sprainyour pelvis!"

Mel waved her hands, "Wait, wait, I've never actually been to an Arab wedding before, so I'm guessing the _sahra_ is the…reception?"

Mia shook her head. "Nah, the _sahra_ 's what we do during the _henna_ night." Noticing Mel's vaguely confused expression, she explained briefly, "The _henna_ night's kinda like a bachelorette party, and sometimes you have a _sahra_ towards the end of the evening, which is when all the men come to the girl's party and everyone goes wild. A few days later, they have the ceremony, the reception, and the _ferdah_ , which is pretty much a final goodbye kinda thing."

Mel's eyes had widened to comical proportions. "How do they have money to eat?"

Mia smiled despite herself. "Well, it's a lot more expensive to do in the States than it was in Syria." She shook her head, "But _Mel_ , you don't get it. Her friend sprained her pelvis and now she's short one person."

Mel asked cautiously, "Did she…?"

Mia nodded, "She asked if I'd fill in."

Mel's reaction was immediate, " _Fuck yes_!" She shook Mia's shoulders violently, "You're gonna belly dance at Mariyah's wedding, _this is amazing_!"

Mia shook her head. " _No_ , it's not. I told her I can't do it."

Mel ceased her actions. "What the—Why?!"

" _Why_? Mel, I haven't done it in a _year_ , and the thought of performing in front of everyone in her family _and_ extended family _and_ friends is giving me an aneurism already." 

"Hey, you just danced at the salsa bar the other night! This isn't any different," she tried to convince.

Mia slapped a hand at her forehead. "This is _completely_ different! If I made an idiot of myself there, no one would notice. But doing it in front of the entire community is just…nope, I can't do it."

Mia walked to the other side of the room and locked her hands behind her neck. Mel followed her and knew it'd take some convincing, but was ultimately sure that this was something she'd love doing, particularly if it meant helping out a friend. "Did you really say no to Mariyah?"

Mia sat down on one of the benches and mumbled, "I told her I'd think about it."

Mel joined her and said, "Does she have anyone else that can do it?"

She shook her head. "They need 4 people to have a full routine, they've been practicing it for months."

Mel nudged her softly. "What are you really worried about, Mia?"

Mia looked at her best friend and let out a deep breath. "It's just…at every other wedding, it doesn't really matter if I do something stupid, 'cos I'm just another guest. But _khaala's_ here this time, and I don't wanna do anything that's gonna embarrass her."

"Mia, she put you in belly dancing classes 4 months into living in Sydney," she laughed. "She'll probably be over the moon that you're gonna get to put your talents to good use."

"And if I screw up?" she asked. "I'll only have 10 days to practice an entire routine, which basically brings my chances of _royally_ fucking up to 93%."

Mel physically turned Mia by the shoulders to face her before saying resolutely, "You're gonna smash it outta the park, and if you screw up…" she shrugged, "Who gives a fuck? Seriously, it's not gonna wildly impact anyone's night, there won't be any rallies outside the White House, you'll be _fine._ "

Mia laughed heartily, realising that she was probably overreacting _just a tad_ , and knowing that Mel's encouragement would make things a whole lot easier.

"Sure, it's gonna be a little tough. But just think of how pissed off you'll be if you _don't_ do it. And if Mariyah's asking you to do something like this, you best believe it's because she knows you'll pull through."

Mia took in a deep breath and nodded. "Alright, alright, you're right. I just…need to get out of my own head."

"There you go," she said. "Just give her a call, meet the instructor, start learning the routine, and blow everyone's fucking minds."

And seeing as though she didn't have much of a choice, that's exactly what Mia would do.

X

"Alright, good work today, ladies." The instructor unwrapped the golden sash from her hips and tossed it to the side, swiping at her water bottle as she addressed the 4 women in front of her. "And I'm _pretty_ sure your _bedlah's_ are coming in sometime today, so you girls can try them on in tomorrow's session."

Mia, Nayla, Jasmine and Shireen broke out into excited whispers at the thought of _finally_ getting to see their belly dancing costumes. They all reached for their towels and cooled down after yet another intensive day of practice, with the fateful night making its way closer and closer.

Mia had been practicing tirelessly for a full week, going to extra classes and spending an unwarranted amount of hours trying to perfect the routine. But somehow, even given the level of difficulty she'd been tasked with, it hadn't taken more than two days for it to really settle into her body. And above all else, she was having the time of her life doing what she'd neglected for so long.

"Give it to me straight, Zahra," Mia said to her instructor. "How'd I do today?"

Zahra, a 40-year-old woman with a devilish smile and a body that most women couldn't pay enough for, shook her head at her newest student. "How do _you_ think you did?"

Mia scratched her neck. " _Well_ , I think I keep messing up the second last set of body rolls, and I'm 130% sure that half of my hair during the flip is just gonna end up getting caught on my lip gloss, _so_ …"

Zahra laughed and put a hand on her shoulder. "And the positives?"

She looked at her sheepishly, because even Miacouldn't deny that she felt pretty _fucking_ good about how well she'd caught onto the routine in the last 6 days. "I think…I'm maybe…doing…alright?"

"Leaning a sequence of this difficulty in a week is a little more than 'alright', Mia. Be proud of yourself. It's okay, you have my permission," she chided.

Mia laughed and nodded bashfully. "No, I'm happy. I was freaking out before I started because I didn't know if I could remember all the steps or even do a proper body roll anymore, but I guess all those years practicing in front of a mirror kinda helped."

"They sure did. And remember, it's only a _sahra_. If you're worried about what the elders of the community will think, then don't. From what I know, it'll mostly be Mari and Saleh's friends, young relatives, you know how it is." Mia nodded, and admittedly, knowing that the audience she'd be performing to was mostly a young one made her feel a lot more comfortable. " _Khair_ , rest up and I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Mia nodded. "Yes, you will. Say hi to the family for me."

Zahra winked and bid her goodbye, leaving Mia alone in the studio they'd been practicing in. Still clad in a sports bra with sequined _harem_ pants sat low on her hips, she took her hair out of its bun and tussled it in front of the wall-length mirror. She'd worked hard that day, but a nagging thought kept her from going home and enjoying a well-deserved rest.

This was something Bucky had wanted to see. Steve's words kept replaying in her head, and the nerves she had for the upcoming performance at Mariyah's _sahra_ somehow paled in comparison to the thought of dancing in front of him.

But in the same stride, it was something she desperately wanted to do. She'd always known that it was a beautiful dance to behold, but particularly after the last few days worth of practice, Mia had come to understand that it was devastatingly empowering. To be so in control of one's own body, to know exactly which moves came next in the sequence while the audience waited anxiously for it was strangely gratifying. And if somehow that audience was scrapped down to one person, the only person she sought _desperately_ to impress…

Mia knew that Saleh had invited Bucky to all of the wedding functions and events, but the mystery remained in whether he would actually show up for them. Though she didn't expect him to be at the _sahra_ , the thought of him sitting somewhere near the back of the hall, struggling and shifting to see her performance while everyone else cheered her on wasn't all that ideal. If he was going to see her perform something of this detail and beauty, she wanted his experience to be…a little _different_ from everyone else's, and hopefully a _lot_ more gratifying.

She didn't have a particular routine in mind when she began moving slowly, her crop top mostly drenched with sweat and her pants blowing loosely from the fan in front of her. The thing about belly dancing was that it wasn't exactly _supposed_ to be choreographed. As age-old traditions would have it, someone would begin to riff a beat on the _duff_ – an Arabian drum – and an improvised dance would ensue. Rehearsal wasn't something that was mandatory in delivering an entrancing performance, and more often than not, it was the spontaneity of it that fuelled its mystique.

Choosing a random track and playing the music, Mia began to sway her hips in time with the rhythm and moulded her movements to the changes. The track was much more sultry than the upbeat choice they'd picked for the _sahra_ , and because of that, the way her body reacted to the music was drastically different. Where the other routine she was practicing had a cheeky and somewhat family-friendly vibe to it, this song brought out an entirely different side of her. And as the sway of her hip and the bend of her waist became more and more practiced, she realised that she could have _a lot_ of fun with this if given the chance.

X

 **2 days later**

"If we circle to Caracas from Honduras, then we should be back by 21:00," said Steve, hunched over a map and drawing out possible flight plans for their latest mission. "Nat, do we have an ETA for Emannuel's flight to Chile?"

Nat tapped away at her all-too complicated computer screen and answered, "Judging by his flight patterns so far, he'll take double the time to get there to throw off any hostiles. If we're lucky, we'll have a 35 minute window at Santiago's airport."

Steve nodded and rolled up the map in his hand. "Should be plenty of time." He looked to Sam and said, "We're gonna need wings for his security detail."

"They should be outta the shop by tomorrow," said Sam, taking on that distinctly militaristic tone he always did when being briefed on a mission.

Steve nodded, then turned to Bucky. "There's at least half a tonne of Chitauri-powered weapons on that cargo. We're gonna need evac and de-shipment in 15 minutes."

He nodded once. "Copy."

Steve sighed and looked to his team, all shacked up in yet another safehouse, with their weekend plans put to a steaming halt due to new intel delivered by Sharon, detailing a mass shipment of weaponised Alien matter. Because it'd been split into two parts, the team would be spending 2 days in South America before coming back to New York, only to leave 48 hours later en route to South Africa.

And while undertaking this operation was of the utmost importance, it unfortunately meant that Bucky's attendance to any of the wedding functions had basically been squashed to _one_ ; the _sahra_. With the team leaving for Caracas on Wednesday and arriving back on Friday night, Bucky would only have 2 days in New York before he'd have to make his departure for Johannesburg. And though he'd told Saleh that he'd be attending his reception, there was a small part of him that was somewhat relieved at the chance to miss out on such exposure.

Better yet, the _sahra_ , from what he'd heard, would be a night of relaxed enjoyment and light-heartedness. Whilst he had no idea that Mia would be a big part of that night, let alone in the capacity of a _performer_ , Bucky's only intention was to attend the gathering to alleviate some of the pressure he knew she received at being a young and unmarried Syrian bachelorette. He'd follow her lead the whole night, hold her hand through all the formalities and the introductions, even introduce himself as a successful something-or-other, just in the hope that she'd be able to feel proud of all that she'd accomplished.

And while he knew that she certainly didn't need a fella' at her arm to boast of her successes, there was nothing wrong with taking pride in what was yours. Bucky just hoped that he could do her justice on a night where _plenty_ of eyes would be fixed her way.

"You're not busy, are you?" asked Bucky as Mia answered her phone.

"No…I'm...I was just…" Mia wheezed after _2 full hours_ of dance practice, "I'm just gonna…water…"

"You okay?" he asked with a hidden grin. "What're you doin' over there?"

"Oh, y'know, just…vaccuming."

"Your voice is echoing," he noted.

She cleared her throat, "Yeah, that's just 'cos I'm…vacuuming the…garage."

"You're vacuuming…the garage…" he asked slowly, "Of your…rental apartment?"

"—Anyway, enough about me," she interrupted, "What about you? How's it hangin'? What's _crack-a-lackin'_?"

 _And_ he knew it. He was 105% sure she was hiding something.

"…Are you okay, Mia?"

After taking a long swig of water, Mia spoke tiredly, "Yeah, I'm fine, just really exhausted from all this cleaning." She was completely blindsided when the girls at practice snuck up behind her and started to scream into the receiver, effectively deafening both sides.

" _Ooh,_ who're you talking to, _Mia_?"

"Oh, James, where art thou?!"

"—Mia's ass is looking _tip-fucking-top today_ —"

"—your girlfriend spent the last two hours groping me—"

Dumbstruck and mouth open, Mia ran to the other side of the room and _shh_ 'd everyone profusely before covering her eyes in embarrassment. "…Are you still there?"

Bucky asked cautiously, "…You were groping a girl?"

Mia shook her head and ignored the devilish laughter coming from her friends nearby. "That's just Jasmine letting her inner wish-list come out, there wasn't any harassment on my part."

"She's right, it's not harassment if it's consensual!" yelled Jasmine as they filtered out of the studio, each one juiced up on serotonin after another exciting practice.

Mia sighed and sat against the wall. "I have no words."

Bucky cleared his throat. "I got plenty." He paused, "Can't say 'em, though."

Mia laughed and sighed, admitting quietly, "I wanna see you so bad."

Bucky fell silent, a little taken aback by her admission. "Me too, doll. You've got no fuckin' idea."

Mia giggled softly. "I think I have an inkling." She asked coyly, "Maybe you could…I don't know, come over to my place tonight? Everyone's probably gonna stay at Arsala's anyway. It'll be fun, we can get some take-out, maybe some dessert, and I'll put on a movie that we won't pay attention to." She smiled, "Y'know… _catch up_."

Bucky shut his eyes and let his head fall back against the wall, because _fuck_ if that didn't sound like a slice of Heaven. "Sound like you've got it all figured out."

Mia agreed, "Well, I haven't seen you in a week, so I've had a lot of time to think."

"About what?" he asked knowingly.

Mia smiled scandalously. "Nothing I can say to you over the phone."

"Sure, you can," he said, pushing his luck a little.

The laugh that spilled from her lips was musical. "Encrypted or not encrypted, Nat can still listen in on these calls, which, by extension, means Sam can too." She fiddled with the knot of her white tee, "And I'd rather they didn't know what I wanna do tonight."

 _Have. Mercy._

"You're not making this easy," he said quietly.

"Why's that?"

He let out a small breath. "I, uh, I called because I won't be able to make it to the reception, Mia." He nodded, "We're going 'Raven' tonight, should be back by Friday. But we're heading back out on Sunday morning."

In all honesty, Mia couldn't deny that her heart sank a little at the realisation he wouldn't be at any of the functions, but that didn't compare to the worry that always fuelled her nerves whenever he went away. It was an odd protectiveness, she supposed. While she knew there wasn't much she could do to _physically_ keep him from harm, she longed for the chance to keep his fears at bay, frantic as they may be at that point.

"Oh, Buck," she shook her head, "Don't even think about the reception, just...stay focused on getting home safe." She added, "And, if you're coming back on Friday, I can leave the _sahra_ early and meet you at the airstrip, or…the port…I don't know, wherever you guys are gonna land."

Bucky had already decided that he'd attend the _sahra_ , but her willingness to leave it behind to make up time with him was no small gesture in his mind. "I was actually thinking of comin' there, y'know. We'll probably get in around 9:00, I can make it to the hotel in half an hour." He nodded decidedly, "I wanna be there."

The smile that spread on Mia's face was instant. " _Really_? You're gonna come to the _sahra_?" She insisted, "But you're gonna be so tired, and after all the travel—"

"You love makin' me sound like an old lady, don't you?" he said amusedly.

Mia laughed and shrugged to herself, "I think you forget that you're pushing 100, sweetheart."

He replied just as coolly, "Well, you certainly don't complain."

Blushing a shade darker, she couldn't refute the fact. "Well…credit should be given where it's due." Mia's mind was already running amuck, both with nervousness and excitement at the thought of him being there to see her perform. But stronger still was the desire to do something a little special for him, particularly seeing as though he'd be spending his free time between missions at a function for her sake. She decided, rather quickly, that she'd make it an unforgettable night.

"Hey," she started, "Do you have any pressing plans for Saturday?"

He answered, "Nothing so far. Got something in mind?"

She smiled to herself and said cryptically, "Just…bring a change of clothes. And something to sleep in."

Bucky's heart skipped a beat. "What are we gonna do?"

"Nothing you need to know about just yet," she offered, and as Zahra walked into the room, Mia quickly said, "Alright, I've gotta go. I'll talk to you soon, _bye_!"

Bucky was left with his phone still in his hand, looking dumbly at it and trying to figure out just _what_ she was up to. But knowing Mia, he could count on it being wildly unpredictable, and a little too much fun.

"Staying back to practice again?" asked Zahra knowingly. "You've perfected the routine, Miriya. Go home, give yourself some reprieve before the big day."

Mia walked Zahra's way, fiddling with her hands as she began to ask for something that'd been on her mind for a few days now. " _Ukhti,_ I…I kinda need your help with something, if you have a bit of time."

Zahra nodded interestedly, "Of course, my next class' after lunch-time. What is it, _habibti_?"

Deciding to _come out_ with it, she simply said, "I want to do a dance for my boyfriend." She shook her head, "But…not just like the routine we're doing for the _sahra_. I was thinking of something…a little more… _baligh_ -ish."

Zahra let out an endearing laugh and quirked a brow. " _Adult_ -ish?" When Mia nodded, she crossed her arms knowingly and asked, "Will this be the first time he'll see you perform?"

Mia nodded. "He's coming for the _sahra_ , so I guess he'll see me then, but…I don't know, if I can do something a little more special later on…I think he'd like that."

Zahra leaned in, as though divulging a long-hidden secret of existence. "God gave women hips so we could ruin the lives of men, darling." She sent Mia a small wink and said, "I'm glad you're using your gift."

Mia couldn't help but laugh, because _wow_ that was an empowering way of looking at things. "So, d'you think you could show me something I can learn in 2 days, that'll break his brain as well?"

Zahra thought for a moment, seemingly going through hundreds of routines she'd choreographed and overseen in the last few decades, before letting a small smile spread on her lips. "I have just the thing."

X

The venue, as it turned out, was one of the most magnificent abodes of extravagance Mia had ever seen. The hotel – rightly named 'Casablanca' – was the most popular Arab-themed resort in New York State, with an air of Middle Eastern lavishness evident in each of its corners. The lobby was decorated by bright oil lamps reflecting colourful tiles, with exotic rugs strung up on the walls and beneath the rustic coffee tables near the indoor fountain.

Once they'd actually reached the hall in which the _sahra_ would be held, Mia's jaw almost had to be surgically reattached upon seeing just how much work had gone into it. In the centre of the room was a divinely lit floor with petal scatters across the surface, surrounded by round tables and banquet pieces. The ambience of the space was perfectly woven into the decorum, with a small _huqa*_ lounge located at one end of the hall, plush cushions and Persian rugs surrounding the draped area.

It was, in a word, un- _fucking_ -believable.

Earlier in the week, Arsala had given some of the girls the option to rent out their own rooms at the hotel. Initially, the idea hadn't appealed greatly to Mia, who'd have much rather gone home and spent time with Mel than alone in a hotel room. But seeing as though Mel had been asked out that night by her new-found 'friend' from the convenience store, _and_ the fact that Bucky would be joining Mia for the event, she'd gone ahead and made a reservation. The photos she'd seen of the suites online had convinced her almost instantly, but as she'd soon find out, they did _no_ justice to how exquisite they were in real-life.

"Oh, Mylanta," whispered Mia as she unlocked the door to her suite. She dropped her bag near the entrance and walked further in a state of stupor. The low-ceilinged space had all the charm of a home from pre-war Syria, with clay walls and archways that led to a spacious living room. The stain-glassed lamps had been lit before her arrival, and the entire suite was alight with a rich shade of gold as a result.

But the part of the quarters she was _most_ excited about was the floorboarded space that gave way to a raised _palang_ – a bed, of sorts – overrun with plush cushions and with a _huqa_ stand in front of it. Not only was it exactly what she'd had in mind, but the addition of _argeelah_ was a vice she didn't get to indulge in frequently. And something told her that it'd add another dynamic to the night she had planned for the two of them.

Now excited to High Heavens, and with 4 hours of _henna_ related festivities to be enjoyed with the ladies, Mia went about putting on the dress she'd chosen with Mel for the first part of the night. It was of a deep scarlet and fell conservatively to her ankles, with sleeves that cinched at her elbows and grew loose at her wrists. A polar opposite to what she'd be wearing for the belly dance, but there was an elegance to her get-up that she really, really adored.

After running through her usual staples of makeup and loose waves already in her hair, Mia hurried her way to join the girls at the hall prepared downstairs. Everyone had already gathered in the space and was abuzz as the wedding functions _officially_ began. Jasmine, Shireen and Nayla squealed with delight as Mia walked in, huddling immediately and bouncing on their feet as they talked over the performance in a few hours.

"I'm just _so nervous_ ," said Jasmine, her porcelain complexion frayed by anxiety. "I mean, I've tripped on my pants 3 times in practice, and Jafaar's gonna be there, and his _sisters_ are gonna be there, and if I fuck up, I'm not just fucking up in front of you guys, it's in front of _everyone_!"

Shireen clutched her shoulders and shook her friend a little. "Pull yourself together, woman. You've done amazing in every practice, and you've been ready for more than a month now." She nodded her head reassuringly, "You're gonna kill it."

Jasmine let out a deep breath and nodded in understanding. "Okay, you're right, okay, I got this." She looked around and noticed Arsala make an entrance into the hall, which kick-started the customary flattery.

All 50 of the women in the hall turned to noisily greet Arsala with traditional calls, making her blush and wave dismissively at all the youthful cheek. " _Kafia, kafia_ ," she said with a wide smile. " _Kafia, 'atfali_."

 _Enough, my children_ , was sufficient to calm down the young women momentarily, as they all stood before the mother of the bride and waited for her to speak.

" _Ya Rabb_ , look at the beauty within the room this evening," she said happily. By this point, everyone that'd been scattered across the hall was now standing around Arsala, each looking as stunning and excited as the next. "I would like to extend my warmest welcome to each and every one of you ladies tonight. As I'm sure you know, the _henna_ night marks the beginning of our celebration for this blessed union, and it is, without a doubt, the most enjoyable of the many events."

Everyone laughed softly as they continued listening to Arsala's short address, with _khaala_ finding Mia in the crowd and coming to stand next to her. She touched her back softly, and Mia looked down to see her dressed gorgeously herself, in a simple gown that complimented her petite figure. Mia smiled, but no sooner did it leave her lips when _khaala_ 's hand slipped into hers, squeezing it firmly without a word exchanged.

Mia turned to look at her, but _khaala_ simply kept her gaze fixed ahead. Strangely, the noise in the room had faded into the background. Mia couldn't quite understand why, but her breathing shallowed and she could feel her eyes begin to water as she saw _khaala_ 's do the same. She tightened her grip, and remained joined with her aunt for the rest of the speech without the knowledge of any other person. Everyone clapped periodically in response to Arsala's words, but both Mia and _khaala_ remained as they were.

It was only when the speech was drawing to a close that Liliane looked up at her niece, a vision of who her mother had once been. She would've been so proud, thought Liliane, of the woman Miriya had become. Brave and beautiful and kind. And she couldn't believe that there was once a time when their relationship had been in tatters, barely existent. How far they'd come, and how she longed to re-visit their past, to have treated her niece with warmth and care. But they were here, and somehow, in the midst of a crowded room with dozens of strangers, the pair shared their closest moment.

When Mia found her aunt looking at her with something dangerously akin to love in her eyes, she could've broken down into a fit of tears had the setting been a little more accepting of such an episode. But instead, she shared a smile that spoke grander truths than words ever could, each understanding the other. There was regret, and forgiveness, and undoubted affection in their exchange, and though unsure as to what had brought it on, Mia was grateful it'd happened all the same.

They broke apart when Arsala declared that the night had begun, and told the group that the men were due to arrive around 9:00pm. All that was left was the arrival of Mariyah, and within a few minutes, the doors were opening to unveil their bride-to-be, clad in finely embroided traditional clothes, and wearing a smile too sincere to be fabricated.

Everyone in the crowd hurried Mariyah's way, greeting her with a rush of compliments and teary hugs at the realisation that _this was it_. The _henna_ would lead to the _sahra_ , after which the wedding would take place in a few days time, and then she'd be well and truly gone. And regardless of the fact that she wouldn't actually be _moving_ anywhere else, the idea that she'd belong to a new family was jarring to those who'd loved her for a lifetime.

The night began with a few rounds of some delectable finger foods, all of which Mia had to ignore vehemently, because from experience, there was nothing worse than belly dancing with a bloated belly. She dodged the _kibbeh_ trays and side-stepped the catered _samosas_ , but not without seriously questioning her life choices every time she caught wind of them passing by.

The party, in itself, was unlike anything she'd ever been to. The amount of thought that'd gone into the catering and the music and the small details was absolutely staggering, and it showed in how seamlessly things unfolded. There was dancing, chattering, singing and teasing of the bride _whenever_ possible, and it was truly a most happy occasion. Mariyah enjoyed herself much more than she thought she would, being that the bride is usually the most scrutinised _and_ criticised during this period. But thankfully, almost everyone kept their opinions and unwanted advice to themselves.

Better still, Mia got a first-hand idea of what it was like to host such an event. Throughout the night, there were mothers and grandmothers closing in on her, prodding around with overt curiosity, much to her expectation. She directed at least 30 women to the bathroom, assisted a few with the application of their _henna_ , and even helped 2 older ladies get into their Spanx before their husbands arrived.

…Needless to say that by 9:00, she'd seen things that no 22-year-old should have to see.

"Do we _really_ have to let the men in?" Jasmine asked Arsala in Arabic. "We're already having such a great time, and the night's still young! We don't need them to have some fun."

Arsala cupped her chin endearingly and smiled, "I know you're worried, but I will not deprive Jaafar of this chance to see your artistry, _habibti_. Your fears are misplaced."

Jasmine lulled her head back and sighed, "Tonight's the night I dishonour my family name." She turned to Mariyah, who was busy devouring a vanilla cupcake nearby, and said, "Why did you rope me into doing this?"

She stopped mid-chew. "Doing what, babe?"

"The dancing, Mari," she whined.

She scoffed lightly, "Hey, I don't make the 'Bridesmaid Rules', okay? But even if I did, I'd still force you to dance tonight. Y'know why? Because you're _fucking amazing_ at it. And you've been practicing forever, just don't overthink it." She pointed at Mia, whose attention had been devoted religiously to said vanilla cupcake in Mariyah's hand. "Mia only had 2 weeks to learn it, and she's not worried!"

"Have you _seen_ her dance?" Jasmine asked knowingly. "She's a fucking _vixen_ , Mari. She learnt it in 6 days! That comparison is _so_ not fair, man."

Promptly snapped out of her reverie, Mia shook her head insistently, "You can't be serious, Jaz. I don't know what's got you so worried, but we've _all_ seen you on stage, and nobody can take their eyes off'a you." Mia knew anxiety was a deep-rooted issue for Jasmine, and even her willingness to entertain the idea of performing was no small feat. But it was time for her fears to be quashed, once and for all. "Here, what's the worst thing that you think could happen?"

"I fall and break my nose, or worse, my _harem_ pants rip halfway through the routine." She continued in a quieter voice so that only Mariyah and Mia could hear, "Or…Jaafar sees me and…I don't know, thinks that it's not as sexy as I'm hoping it'll be." She sighed, "I'm just…not used to putting myself out there like this."

Sitting on a table at the corner of the room, Mia and Mariyah worked together to dispel the far-fetched worries that plagued Jasmine's mind. "Listen, Jaz," started Mariyah, "I don't think you need me to say this, because you two have been dating for 2 years, but you _know_ the kinda guy Jaafar is." She laughed, "You could single-handedly kick-start World War III, and he'd still think the sun rose and set with you."

Jasmine let out a small laugh and Mia added, "She's right. And, look, I haven't known you guys all that long, but it doesn't take an astrologist to feel the love you two have. And I've seen the way he looks at you…" she let out a low whistle, "There's nothing keepin' him away, kid."

Jasmine looked between the two girls and knew they spoke sincerely, much as she wanted to find fault in it. "Ugh, _you guys_ ," she groaned. "I was so close to going home."

" _But_ that's not an option," said Mariyah as she looped her arm through her friend's. "And judging by how bat-shit crazy all the girls are going, I _think_ the boys are here. So, you're time's up, love."

As if on cue, the doors to the hall were opened and in walked two of the community's elders, each dressed in 3-piece suits and leading the crowd of men that followed. " _Masa'a alkhayr, banaati_ ," they greeted joyfully.

The women parted excitedly to make way for the anticipated guests, and Mariyah took the chance to hide behind the grand stage and wait until she was called out by the elders. Mia, on the other hand, went to go join the commotion, yanking Jasmine along with her, and the excitement that filled the air was more palpable than any in recent memory.

" _Udkhul, udkhul, ya abi_ ," called Arsala to the elders, smiling proudly as she led them through to the centre of the room. As per tradition, Saleh trailed along at the back of the procession, with his closest friends – and Zeyn – at his side causing a riot among the young women around them.

Mia kept an eye out for any signs of Bucky, but considering that the clock had only just struck 9:00, she figured it'd be some time before he arrived. Nevertheless, she enjoyed the continuous banter between Arsala and her husband, as well as the other married couples that were present. It was all so theatrical, rich with laughter and reminiscent of how things must've been long ago upon Syrian soil. It filled Mia with such happiness, but a looming sense of nostalgia remained with her throughout the night.

And without warrant, the memory of her parents was brought to mind, try as she may to push it aside for the time being. But she supposed that moments like the ones they were enjoying would always be tainted with a sense of sadness. Such was the nature of loss.

The music had begun to play, and everyone was either taking their seats or chattering busily on the dance floor while the food trays made their rounds. Zeyn broke away from the crowd as soon as he saw his sister, somehow noticing the slightly absent look on her face from afar. He touched her arm and shook her lightly, "Mia?"

She turned to him and smiled with relief, "Ah, there you are." He captured her in a warm hug, "I was lookin' all over for you."

"Yeah, well, Saleh was freaking the fuck out back at his place 'cos his tie didn't match his cufflinks," he said seriously. "Thankfully, we made it to Macy's before it was too late."

Mia nodded slowly. "I'm glad you avoided such a cataclysmic disaster."

He clearly didn't approve of her sarcasm. "Don't mock the impact of men's haberdashery needs, kid. You'll live to regret it." He looked into the distance, not a hint of humour in his expression. "It's the only thing keeping us afloat."

Mia paused. "… _Okay_." She pat his arm sympathetically, "I'm gonna go get changed."

Now standing in a far corner and away from the party, he called after her, "Wait, hold up. Before you go," he said earnestly, "I saw you lookin' a little lost before. You doin' okay?"

Mia nodded a little too quickly. "Yeah, of course, I'm fine. Just…a little nervous for the performance."

He shook his head. "I know it's not that." He urged gently, "What're you thinking about, Mia?"

Knowing better than to hide something her big brother _already knew_ , Mia let out a shaky sigh and confessed quietly, "I just…I really miss them." She looked past his shoulder, at the boisterous laughter and rejoices of her relatives. "I wish they could've been here for this. And…I wish they could be there when it happens for us."

Zeyn held his little sister's hand, reflecting her sentiments in a way a lesser man might've been ashamed to admit. He said with a small smile, " _Baba_ would've hated it."

Mia laughed unexpectedly and couldn't help but nod along. "Yeah, he would've. Too much food wasted, and too much money spent on a night that'll end in a few hours." She shook her head and said in a voice that tried to match her fathers', "Do you know how many schools you could build for the _faqir_ (poor) with this kind of money? Get this _tabdhir_ (extravagance) out of my sight." Zeyn let out a low chuckle and could've sworn his father had said those very words sometime in his life. She asked quietly, "We'll never be as good as them, will we?"

He let out a small breath. "Not in this lifetime, kid. But…nothing says we can't try." He nodded slowly, "We'll make them proud someday."

She smiled and braved the water dampening her lashes. "Yeah, we will." She squeezed Zeyn's hand once before wiping at her eyes and saying, "Ugh, I need to stop before I start looking like a dumpster racoon." She winked once and stepped away from her brother, "Tell the girls I've gone to get ready."

He nodded and watched as she left him. There was hurt that neither one of them would ever truly be rid of, but they had one another, and that's more than most people can claim who've survived the battlegrounds of Syria.

Mia consoled herself on the way to another part of the hotel, where their outfits were beautifully laid out and ready to be worn. She entered the room to find Jasmine and Shireen already there, wearing their allocated _bedlahs_ and looking absolutely _divine_ as they turned to face her.

"Holy mother of anchovies," gasped Mia. "You guys look so fuckable, I'm gonna pop a major artery."

They both giggled and brushed off the compliment before hurriedly helping Mia into her costume. Hers was by far the most conservative – if there were such a thing when it came to _bedlahs_ – but that was a very conscious decision on her part. The bra was of a deep red, with beads studded along the cups and a gorgeous pendant-like piece of jewellery clipped at its centre. The matching pair of red _harem_ pants sat low on her hips and showcased the hard work she'd put in by means of her physique. Jasmine helped her slip on the arm-cuffs that clung to her biceps, each with draped tassels that complimented the outfit perfectly, adding an extra element to the final product.

So far, so _fucking_ good.

"Mia, Mia, where's your belt?" asked Shireen as she got off the phone with Arsala, urging the girls to hasten their return to the hall. "We've gotta go quickly, 'cos the lighting guy's gonna leave in 20 minutes."

Mia looked around for the golden sash before noticing it under a box. With Shireen's help, she quickly fastened it atop the waistband of her pants and fiddled a bit with everything before standing in front of the mirror and feeling absolutely _floored_ with the end result. "Oh, wow."

" _Dios mio_ , you guys look good," said Mariyah as she joined them in their fitting room. Everyone did a little twirl in front of her, laughing stupidly as they briefly practiced parts of the routine. Mariyah turned to Mia and asked, "Where's your phone?"

"My phone? Uh, it's on the table, there."

Mariyah picked it up and opened the camera before pointing it at Mia and saying, "We've all been taking photos for the last 20 minutes, but there isn't one of you." She added cheekily, "You've gotta send James something to make him hurry his ass up."

Mia laughed a little shyly, "He doesn't…well, he doesn't know that I'm doing this tonight."

Mariyah lowered the phone and the girls joined in her shock. "You haven't told him?!" She laughed disbelievingly. "Oh, my God, then you _have_ to send him something. Wait, don't send a full photo. Here, I'll just take one of the belt, with a little bit of skin showing," she giggled. "Uh-uh, you're gonna try to argue, but this is non-negotiable. C'mon."

Mia sighed defeatedly and tried to stay still as the girls fiddled with her _harem_ pants to get the perfect shot, being sure to keep the peak of her navel in the picture. After a few tries, Mariyah was satisfied and felt confident in demanding, "Alright, send him this one. And no caption, just the photo."

"But—"

" _Khalaas,_ non-negotiable," declared Mariyah. "The bride has the final say."

Mia shook her head but sent the picture to him before her nerves got the better of her, and deny it as she may, the thought of him landing on a tarmac to a photo like _that_ on his phone made her all the more impatient for his arrival.

X

"Are you out of your _fucking_ mind?" asked Sam with wide eyes. "What kinda dumbass shows up to a hen's night in a bowtie? Even Pee-Wee _fuckin_ ' Herman knows better."

"Why is he here?" Bucky asked Nat seriously.

"Because Cuba wouldn't take him. Now," said Nat as she scanned a critical eye over Bucky's attire for the evening, the whole team just minutes away from landing at an airstrip about 20 minutes from Hotel Casablanca. The plane, which had surprisingly been appointed by Tony Stark himself for the purposes of the mission, enjoyed all the perks of the jet they'd flown back from Syria in. Though smaller, there was a bar, a mini gym, and an extensive wardrobe collection for both men and women's clothing at their disposal. And from there, the team had dressed Bucky for the event he was about to attend. "I think you should go with no tie."

"I second that," offered Steve as he ate from a box of digestive biscuits.

Sam pointed at Bucky and mumbled, "Somebody tell Rico Suave to burn his bowtie collection."

"It came with the plane, fucktard," snapped Bucky.

"You tried it on, so it's yours," he countered.

With a stone cold expression, Bucky declared, "I'm gonna break his jaw."

"Not before I break your balls, sugar-nuts," taunted Sam.

… _Wot…?_

"Alright ladies, that's enough for the hour," said Nat as she stepped back and appreciated the look she'd put together for her comrade. "Done. Remember, smile at the older ladies 'cos they find that non-threatening, and try to stay away from anyone that's drunk and wants to arm wrestle."

Bucky nodded once. "Copy."

Sam and Nat left to go collect their things, while the plane eased its way back onto the ground. "Nervous?" asked Steve.

Bucky shook his head. "Just…everyone left of her family's gonna be there. I can't fuck this up."

Steve slapped his shoulder reassuringly. "You won't. You're in good hands."

Before Bucky could agree, his phone buzzed and opened to a picture message from Mia. It took about 20 seconds of breathlessness for his mind to even comprehend what he was looking it, and after unhinged scrutiny regarding who the wearer of the belly dancing garb was, the familiar bronze skin that peeked out in the photo confirmed his suspicions, and set his stomach alight with nervous excitement.

She'd be dancing tonight.

X

Unfortunately, Bucky's arrival at Hotel Casablanca had been delayed due to roadworks that even his Harley couldn't avoid. But he made up for time in the speed of his riding, and was pacing the lobby in search of the hall by 9:40. Had he not been so engrossed in finding the correct room, he would've taken some time to appreciate the hotel's beauty. But when the sound of a blaring Arab song filtered through the doors of one hall in particular, he gravitated its way and entered without invite, only to find himself at a loss for words all together.

 _Mal Habibi – By Saad Lamjarred_

The overhead lights had been turned down, and all that remained were the ones pointing in the direction of what appeared to be a dance floor in the centre of the space. The music was overlapped by the sound of people clapping in time with the beat, and impressed cheers echoed from most people watching the performance taking place. Because he couldn't see what had everyone so captivated, Bucky walked towards the other side of the room in hopes of a better view. The area he sought out was the _huqa_ corner, where about a dozen young men were seated around the low-set tables, _argeelah_ pipes in hand and smoke leaving their lips as their eyes stayed glued to the figure in the centre of the room.

Bucky melded himself inconspicuously within the crowd, and when he finally stood still long enough to follow the movements of the entrancing figure, the breath was stolen from his lungs no sooner than a dagger would do the same.

There was Mia, _his_ Mia, under the burning lights with her skin glowing most Heavenly, as her hips slowed to a halt with the final beat of the drum. People kept moving ahead of him, and his view of her became almost completely obscured when everyone stood from their seats to share in a thunderous round of applause. He tried to get a better look at her, but she bowed once and walked off of the dance floor to join the girls at the far corner of the hall, before leaving altogether and out of sight.

And he realised, with no small amount of regret, that he'd missed her performance.

" _Bughy!_ " exclaimed _khaala_ as she neared him, her hands outstretched and ready to bombard him with long-overdue affection. " _Habibi_ , I'm so glad you could make it. When did you arrive?"

He smiled into her soft hug and replied, "I just got here, _khaala_."

She asked excitedly, "And did you enjoy Miriya's performance? _Ya Rabb_ , she was incredible, wasn't she?"

He tried to mask his disappointment when he said, "I actually…didn't get to see it."

Her face fell before she consoled, "Oh, well, not to worry. I'm sure someone recorded it, we can get a copy from someplace." She noticed that he kept looking beyond her shoulder, probably in search of his missus. "Ah, don't fret, the girls have just gone to retrieve their gowns. But in the meantime, come, I will introduce you to some guests."

She looped her arm through his, as though nothing came more naturally to her, and guided him through the crowd of people talking excitedly about the show they'd just witnessed. She sought out one woman in particular before saying, "Arsala!"

Arsala pardoned herself from the conversation she was engaged in and made her way to Liliane, smiling widely as she said, "My God, she was incredible, _habibti_. I'm at a loss for words. And to think, her talents would have gone unknown if she hadn't been asked to join the girls tonight." She had just taken notice of the man at _khaala_ 's arm and smiled approvingly, with an inkling as to who he might be.

"I myself did not know what to expect, Arsala, but indeed, I am very proud," she nodded warmly. "As is this gentleman, who I'd like to introduce to you. Arsala, this is the young man I've been telling you about, Miriya's partner."

"James, ma'am," said Bucky as he extended a hand, only to have it brushed away and replaced with a bone crushing hug, paired with a customary kiss on either cheek. He smiled boyishly as she drew back and kept her hands at his wrists, apparently not noticing the fact that one was gloved, or being too polite and refraining to mention it.

"I've heard so much about you from Liliane, _habibi_. But Miriya's accounts do not go further than her colouring a deep shade of red and refusing to speak for a while," she laughed.

Bucky nodded graciously at her flattery, and felt himself grow a little warm at the idea. "Well, _khaala_ 's very kind, and biased, as well." Arsala laughed heartily as he continued, "And Mia's told me a great deal about your family's hospitality. She's really taken to this place."

Liliane looked at Bucky with motherly affection as he and Arsala continued to exchange pleasantries for a few moments, talking briefly about his time in New York and how this was the first Syrian wedding he'd attended. She complimented him on his suit, which he mistakenly said was from Copacabana.

…Apparently, 'Dolce & Gabbana' would have been the correct answer.

After a few more words were exchanged, Arsala pat Bucky on the arm and sent a devilish smile to _khaala_ before saying;

"حيث كان عندما كنت يكبر?"

 _Where the Hell were guys like him when I was growing up?_

 _Khaala_ let out a nervous laugh and Bucky could _really_ feel his cheeks begin to burn as Liliane replied, " _Waqal 'anah yafham alarabiya_."

 _He understands Arabic_.

A sound of complete shock left Arsala's lips, but she began to laugh at the absurdity of it within seconds. " _La_ ," she shook her head. "It's impossible."

He ran a nervous hand through his hair and said modestly, " _Maharatiun mahduda_."

 _My abilities are limited._

Her eyes widened and she laughed disbelievingly, "Well, I am inclined to disagree. And please, take no offence to the inappropriate wishes of an old lady such as myself." She winked endearingly, "I'm sure you'll be hearing much of that from the guests tonight."

The conversation drew to a close when _khaala_ whisked him away to begin his 20 minute long introduction to most of the people in attendance. He met Mariyah's father and her uncles, as well as a few elders of the community. Just as he'd done with _khaala_ when they'd first met, Bucky's demeanour was all charm and agreeability. The ladies were impressed by his way of speaking, and the men with his astuteness. Needless to say, an air of intrigue followed him through every greeting.

Though he hadn't particularly noticed, there was also a group of young women who'd been watching Bucky keenly for afar, moving strategically closer as he was introduced from one guest to the next by _khaala_. It was clear that the presence of a mysterious, and assumedly eligible bachelor, had sparked excitable curiosity among some of the ladies present.

…But safe to say that he wasn't the only one being noticed that night.

After being greeted and kissed by more women in 20 minutes than in his last 70 years of life, Bucky took refuge near the quieter dwelling of the _huqa_ lounge. It was currently occupied by the same young men he'd seen earlier, carrying out a conversation that Bucky initially ignored, but became enraptured in the more it continued.

"—I think the one in the green was Jafaar's girl," sounded a voice between puffs of _argeelah_. "Looked like her."

"I wanna know about the one in the red," said a deep voice, which piqued Bucky's interest immediately. "Who was she?"

"Never seen her before. Must be from Mariyah's side," said a third voice.

"—was fucking hot, though. Tits of an angel, man," added someone else.

"—hard the whole fuckin' time—"

Almost entirely sure that the woman in question was Mia, there wasn't much that Bucky could do to keep his sudden temper from bubbling to the surface. He listened with failing patience to their crudeness, trying his best to remain calm for the sake of everyone in the room. The thought of Mia kept his increasing anger at bay, and he'd almost made the effort to walk in the other direction when his resolve broke at the utterance of one sentiment too far.

"She might'a danced tonight, but," the man took a long puff, " _Waqalat 'anaha lan almashi ghadaan_."

 _She won't be walking tomorrow._

As the group broke into a fit of encouraging laughter, Bucky managed to take one step their way before an arm slung around his shoulder and a voice sounded, "Ey, Jesus!"

He turned to see Zeyn smiling momentarily, only to falter when he saw the hostile look on Bucky's face.

"Bro, you okay?"

Bucky blinked slowly, diverting his attention from the group of men to his friend instead. "I'm…I'm fine." He cleared his throat. "I'm okay."

Unconvinced, Zeyn looked over his shoulder to see the men at the _huqa_ lounge still talking animatedly, apparently unaware of the pair's presence. "Did they say something?" When Bucky didn't reply and kept his eyes glued to his feet, Zeyn got the general idea of what might've happened. "C'mon, let's go."

The two walked towards the grand doors and made their way out of the hall, both needing a bit of an escape from the chaos inside. Bucky felt his anger cool with the fresh air of the open lobby, making him ask, "Have you seen Mia?"

Vaguely aware that his sister had planned something special for her boyfriend that night, Zeyn kept his answer simple. "Yeah, she's just sorting out some stuff. I don't think she knows you're here." He offered, "I'll go tell her, if you want."

"No," he shook his head. "It's okay, let her do what she has to."

"Did you check your stuff in at the front desk?" he asked.

Bucky nodded. "Yeah, I gave them Mia's room number and they sent it up."

Zeyn took a seat on the sprawling couch and asked giddily, "So, you enjoying your first rodeo?"

His semi-murderous thoughts stowed to the back of his mind, Bucky joined Zeyn on the other side of the couch and said, "I've had about 3 pounds of _baklava_ fed to me in the last 30 minutes."

Zeyn laughed. "Yeah, I had a feeling the older ladies would like you. Any of them try their luck?"

Bucky nodded, a little traumatised by some of his encounters. "I got 2 numbers. Both of 'em were for retirement homes."

 _That_ had Zeyn bawling with laughter, because he'd heard some wild stories of the sort, but there was nothing kosher about this. "I think you'll find that rich Arab widowers are used to getting what they want, even if it's someone 30 years younger than them." He stopped to do some mental maths. "…Or, y'know, double their age." He leaned in and whispered, "Because you're 100."

Bucky looked at him plainly. "I got that."

"Anyway, how'd you like the—Oh, never mind," said Zeyn as he noticed a figure walking from the other end of the long lobby. "You might wanna turn around, gramps."

Bucky did as he was told, and felt his heart drop unexpectedly when he saw Mia walking their way, her eyes glued to her phone and completely unaware that they were watching. Her _bedlah_ had been covered by a silk gown – referred to as an _abayah_ – that was tied at the front to completely hide what lay underneath. Her hair was down in those waves he adored, a bounce in them with every step she took. He could see her clearer as she neared them, but the opening of a door in her path halted everything.

And without hesitation, all he saw was red.

The same man who'd been mouthing off about Mia at the _huqa_ lounge had approached her, his dark and handsome features completely altered now that he was actually conversing with the woman on his mind. He smiled charmingly as he spoke to her, saying something that neither Bucky nor Zeyn could make out. And when Mia tried to remove herself from the conversation graciously, he touched a hand softly to her elbow, a warm gesture of hope that she'd give him a chance to speak his mind.

Mia didn't seem threatened nor particularly fazed, but that didn't change the fact that Bucky was about ready to detach the man's pelvis from his skeletal structure. Before he could fully comprehend what he was doing, and growing increasingly annoyed at the fact that this guy was _really fucking handsome_ , Bucky was out of his chair and walking their way. Zeyn followed behind him in protest, but his words fell on deaf ears.

All Bucky knew was that someone was trying to go 'mattress dancing' with his girl, and it wasn't him.

"—there's a nice place down the road from here, I mean, I think I could show you a fun time," the man said to Mia as Bucky neared him.

"—sorry, but I'm waiting for someone here—"

Mia's words were cut off by the feel of a hand curling possessively at her waist, and she couldn't have been more grateful for his opportune arrival. She turned to see Bucky, all suited and booted, and _royally_ pissed off. His eyes were locked on the man in front of them, and Mia figured laying a much-desired kiss on his pouty lips might not have been the best thing to do when he was devising 13 ways to de-limb a fellow guest.

" _Qalbi_ ," she said breathlessly. "Ah, yes, uh, Tariq, this is my boyfriend, James."

The man, now known to be Tariq, fell quiet at the arrival of his supposed competition. All air of charm gone, he simply nodded once before saying, "Your girl's real talented, man." He took a step back and said, almost tauntingly, "Use it well."

Bucky's grip on Mia tightened as the man withdrew, his unforgiving eyes following him as his hands only just stayed away from the man's jaw.

"Gimme a call sometime, Mia," Tariq said finally before leaving to rejoin the party.

Mia and Bucky stayed as they were for a few moments after he left, but Zeyn broke the silence almost immediately. "It doesn't get more 'rapey eyes' than that, kids." He stood in front of them and asked, "What the fuck did he want?"

Mia turned to explain to Bucky instead, "He's one of Saleh's relatives, he was just asking for my number."

"I'll break his neck," said Bucky, semi-unaware that he'd actually voiced that thought.

In a twisted, slightly depraved way, Mia's heart warmed at the coldness of his voice. The idea of being so dear to someone had always seemed romanticised to her, but there she was, with her very own neck-breaker _er_ willing to go to such lengths for her.

 _What a fucking dreamboat._

"Babe, it's okay, he didn't even really say anything," she tried to console.

Before he could think better of it, Bucky mumbled, "He had a lot to say 10 fucking minutes ago."

Mia furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"

Realising that this was as good a time as any to bow out, Zeyn obnoxiously pinched both of their cheeks – because, _why the hell not_ – and hurried his way back to the party. Mia broke away from Bucky's hold and asked, "What did you hear, _habibi_?"

Bucky shook his head and avoided eye contact with her, but apparently, she wasn't having any of it. She tipped his chin down so that he had no place to look but at her, and the palpable anger in his eyes gave way to something a little softer.

It was age old, run-of-the-mill jealousy, folks.

Mia's lips upturned ever-so slightly as she asked, "…Did he say something about me?" Bucky just shut his eyes, and that was confirmation enough. She moved in closer and soothed her hands down the lapels of his jacket. "I think you're turning a little green, honey."

Bucky let out a shaky breath and answered, "They don't know their place."

Mia couldn't help but smile at that. "They're just doing what guys do at weddings; fishing. And besides…" she leaned up to his ear and said lowly, "They don't know who I belong to."

 _That_ damn well gave him goosebumps, as Mia drew back and smiled at his knee-jerk reaction. Deciding that this was as good a time as ever, and wanting to change the sour mood the whole ordeal had put him in, Mia took Bucky by the hand and chose to ditch the party altogether. He acquiesced without protest, following her into the elevator and riding up the floors in silence.

And though he had an idea as to where they were going, _nothing_ could've prepared him for what was to come.

Before long, they arrived at her suite and made their way in. Mia led him through the charming hallway and into the living room, one which had been prepared earlier for the purposes of the evening. The oil lamps stained the room with a Heavenly glow, and the _huqa_ pipe was set-up for consumption in front of the welcoming _palang._

Mia walked up behind Bucky and helped him take his suit jacket off. She moved a few feet away and said, "Take a seat. The _argeela_ 's for you." He turned to face her as she walked into her bedroom, untying the knot of her _abayah_ on the way. Sparingly, she said, "Make yourself comfortable."

Without letting his hopes get too far ahead of him, Bucky took her advice and sat down on the _palang_ , taking up the pipe in his hand and inspecting it briefly before smoking _argeelah_ for the first time. The moment he inhaled the mint-flavoured vapour, the soothing qualities of the ancient vice calmed his nerves. It wasn't a high, per se, but it had him buzzed within a few puffs. The entire point of it being there was so that he could have a clear mind when Mia re-emerged for her performance, and thankfully, it'd taken mere minutes for its effects to work.

 _Yearning – By Raul Ferrando_

He looked around in confusion when a soft beat began to play through the central speakers. The volume was low, and Bucky didn't let himself make any assumptions about what it meant. Pipe still in hand, he watched anxiously as the door to Mia's room fell open, and from within, emerged a woman he was sure he'd never seen before.

Having already given herself the pep talk of a lifetime in her room, Mia was ready to leave its confines and do what she'd been wanting to for some time now. She'd kept on the red bra of the _bedlah_ , but had switched out the modest _harem_ pants for a matching skirt with large slits down either leg. She entered the living room and brought her eyes to meet his, regardless of the nagging doubts that tugged at her confidence.

But that's not what this was about. The purpose was to perform, to put on a show. And the way she carried herself played as big a role as the dancing itself did. Keeping that in mind, she neared him, taking pride in the way his face had stiffened with shock. His eyes were widened, and his mouth was ajar as she came to stand in the open space before him.

He croaked, "Mia?"

The _duff_ was accompanied by the whine of a violin, adding to Bucky's growing anticipation as Mia dropped to the floor and steadied her breathing. He could feel his heart about ready to give up on him altogether, and the minute she looked up at him, her eyes warmed by the blaze of the lamps, he was lost.

" _Alaistirkha_."

 _Relax._

Taking her advice, Bucky looked to the pipe in his hand and figured he may as well use it, taking in a few deep puffs as Mia's body began swaying with the rhythm. She was sitting on her knees when she began rocking her hips from side to side, the tassels on her skirt shaking hypnotically. She used the momentum to bend all the way backwards, with Bucky's eye-line fixed on the swell of her cleavage and the column of her neck. His throat grew dry at the sight of her shimmying back up, her hair teasingly unkempt and a sheen of sweat along the length of her body.

As the music grew, she stood to her feet in one easy motion, her hands exploring her own body as though they belonged to someone else. Her hips rocked in time with the beat, and the straps of her bra threatened to snap under the pressure of her movements. She brought her arms out to either side and circled them as she spun around, with her back now facing towards him.

…And if he wasn't already dying, this would be his final breath.

The skirt shook mesmerically as Mia began swaying her hips in intervals, left to right, forwards and backwards. Bucky's eyes were glued to the curve of her waist and the accent of her thighs when they peeked out from the slits. The red underwear she'd worn flickered into sight when she lifted her leg and slid it gracefully across the floorboards, and it was enough to render Bucky utterly immobile atop the throne he sat on.

When she returned to a slower part of the dance, Mia finally had time to take in his reaction while her hips rolled languidly and her bra shook playfully. He was absolutely floored, and his inability to decide where to look made her giddy beyond compare. For a moment his eyes would be at her hips, then the lines of her stomach, then the arch of her waist, only to set themselves on the décolletage that left so little to the imagination.

But it wasn't long before he brought his gaze to meet hers, and her determination to finish the routine almost broke when she was met with unashamed desire. That's really all it was, a chance to see him in a state where there were no pretences or safeguards, just a web of lust and awe and _insatiable_ greed for all that she could possibly give him.

And she felt empowered. Beyond any reservation or insecurity, every roll of her hip and flourish of her waist brought with it a sense of pride that she could reduce him to that state. She smiled at the thought, and the mischief in her eyes made it all the more difficult for him to stay put. But he didn't want her to stop. As far as he was concerned, he could've died on that _palang_ with that sight as his last, and he would've been the luckiest man on God's green Earth.

Mia took in deep breaths as she prepared for one of the most taxing parts of the routine, where she took up both slits and fanned it out to either side of her, leaving the thin lining of silk 'covering' the front of her legs. She waved the fabric as the music grew in tempo, her entire body moving at one with the whimper of the violin and the rhythmic beat of the _duff_. The red cloth being twirled in the sand-stained room left Bucky transfixed, because more than just the dancing or the outfit, the entire sequence was a marriage of sensual and visual pleasure.

And that wasn't something he'd ever had the good fortune of witnessing before that night.

As the song neared its end, so did Mia's choreographed routine. But by this point, she was so comfortable standing up there, so enamoured by the way he'd responded to her every move that she let her body react to the music and its changes. She moved closer to him, still at the base of the _palang_ but near enough for him to take in the _ittar_ – a perfume from flowers – she'd put on. She turned on her toes and brought her arms above her head, sliding one down the other as the muscles in her back tightened and shadowed with her efforts.

His unabashed gaze explored every part of her back, and now that she was close enough, got to look over the set of scars he was still unfamiliar with. They too danced and contorted as she did, and his hand was no sooner extended in front of him that she spun around, ready to draw the dance to a close.

Taking advantage of the confidence she felt and her willingness to make this unforgettable for him, Mia took deliberately slow steps up the 3 small stairs to join him on the _palang_ 's level. His head was tilted upwards to see her, his entire body waiting for her next move. She slowed down her breathing as she lowered herself down to the floor, putting her hands on his knees and spreading them apart.

His breath was caught in his throat when she soothed her hands back up his legs and swayed her hips to a stand, the fabric of her skirt crashing against his pants softly. She leaned forward to pick up the _argeelah_ pipe that'd fallen from his hand somewhere at the beginning of the dance, and put it near his mouth in silent request.

Compliantly, he inhaled the vapour and released it slowly. And in that very moment, with him lazing on a bed of opulence, buzzed by the vice in his hand and having the buttons of his shirt undone by an enchantress who'd danced for him, he felt all the riches that Kings of old had boasted of.

But perhaps even _they_ hadn't felt such ecstasy before. Surely, he thought, this was a pleasure only he'd ever know.

Before he could fully understand what'd happened, his shirt was open and Mia's hand was guiding his to her back. She turned around for him and pulled her hair up, waiting for him to respond. With a new, slower Arabic song playing over the speakers, he wet his lips and unclasped her bra, watching closely as she let it fall to the floor.

She let her hair down and turned to him, still brimming with the confidence she'd sustained all night. His eyes fell below her neck, and she undid the clasp of her skirt without haste. Now standing in little more than nothing, entirely at his disposal, she sent him an indulgent smile before climbing onto his lap in one easy stride. His hands clasped at her waist wolfishly, finally able to touch her after what'd seemed like an age, and ready to repay her in whichever way he could for being left so utterly spellbound.

"I don't mean to be impatient," said Mia a little breathlessly, "But I need you to take your clothes off. Like, right now."

 _And, she's back._

Bucky brought her in closer, his arms under her thighs and hers' coiled around his neck. There was so much that he wanted to say, and even more that he wanted to do, though nothing could live up to the moment. But what had to be said, had to be said.

"I've got you for the rest of my life," he said quietly. She faltered, not knowing how much those words would mean to her until he'd actually said them. He swallowed, "You're mine."

Mia smiled, and couldn't believe that she, a little girl from the ruins of Aleppo, had the chance to reply;

"Your's."

They resumed the night in the comfort of one another, without worry of wars or tragedies or heartaches. It was perfect.

And if they knew anything about perfection, it was that it didn't last.

X

 _Abi_ – Brother (in Turkish)

 _Sahra_ – A traditional Arab function conducted a few days prior to the wedding

 _Ukhti_ – Sister (in Arabic)

 _Huqa/ Argeela_ – A traditional instrument used to smoke flavoured tobacco and _hashish_ , common to Arab and South Asian cultures

 _Kafia 'atfali_ – Enough, my children

 _Ya Rabb_ – Oh God/ Dear God

 _Masa'a alkhayr, banaati_ – Good evening, my daughters

 _Udkhul, ya abi_ – Come in, oh father

 _Khalaas_ – That's it/ Enough


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes: Helllooo my dudes, how are you all this fine week? Okay, so I'm not gonna say much about this chapter, but I am gonna send the warmest of thank you's your way, because this story wouldn't have been** _ **anything**_ **if I didn't have you incredible people reading it. Never would've thought that it'd go past 350,000 words, nor that it'd have follows or reviews by anyone, let alone the amount that you guys have. We're a small fic-community here, and I'm so grateful for each and every one of you for following this story for as long as you have 3**

 **Some trigger warnings for this chapter, and I'm gonna put a *(Trigger Warning)* note before the part starts, so if mentions of violence don't sit too well with you, please don't read past that point. That being said, my inbox is alwaaaayyyssss open if there's anything you wanna get off your chest or if something affects you or if you wanna tell me your favourite pizza topping. FEEL FREE M'LOVES.**

 **Okay, that's all. Just thank you again, and I hope you have an incredible week. Much love,**

 **\- M**

* * *

Chapter 32

" **When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; and on that very day his plans perish." (Psalm, 146:4)**

 _ **Aleppo, 2000**_

Winters were never easy to conquer in Syria. The temperatures often liked to drop below the tolerable, and the sun rose lazily in the sky for too short a time. Yusuf Alfiyan, notorious for his unrelenting patience in the face of _anything_ , felt his resolve give way _ever so slightly_ when Aleppo entered its 3rd week of unyielding snowfall.

But the declining temperature wasn't the only source of his grief. Even then, in the comfort of his charming home and companion to an inviting fire, Yusuf felt a sense of uneasiness spread through his stomach as he lowered his newspaper. Another day, another headline that brought news from all over the country, detailing seemingly insignificant events that he was somehow certain would lead to their demise.

The war in Syria hadn't begun yet, but if Yusuf knew one thing, it was only a matter of time.

" _Baba_ , _baba_!" shouted a young and mostly toothless Miriya Alfiyan as she hurried into the living room. "Make him stop, he won't stop!" she cried, with a smug Zeyn following her to their father's armchair.

"What happened, Riya?" he asked before scooping his teary daughter into his arms. He wiped her cheeks and looked knowingly at a 12-year-old Zeyn. "What did you say to her, young man?" he chided in Arabic.

"I didn't say anything, _baba_ , don't listen to her," he defended.

Hearing the commotion on an otherwise peaceful Saturday morning, Tanya Alfiyan emerged from the kitchen and asked, "What's the matter? Why is Riya crying?" She turned to her son, who'd now taken refuge behind their woollen couch. She sighed, "What are we going to do with you, _habibi_?"

"Don't believe her, _mama_ , she's just crying to get me in trouble!" he persisted. "I only told her what everyone's saying, I didn't lie, I swear."

Mia was still whimpering softly into her dad's jumper, her 7-year-old brain unable to handle the torments of her older brother. Yusuf rubbed a hand over her back and motioned to Tanya, "Take him upstairs, _hayati_. Shh, don't worry, he's in trouble, okay?" he comforted Mia.

Tanya smiled softly and obliged, half-heartedly threatening her son with punishment that would likely never come for making his baby sister cry. They disappeared into the stairwell, and Mia couldn't help but feel just a little comforted by the fact that her brother's actions wouldn't go unaddressed.

"You okay, hmm?" asked Yusuf as Mia leaned back in his arms. "Come, what did your naughty brother say to you this time?"

Mia's eyes welled up all over again as she told her father, "He said they would take you away, _baba_."

He smiled affectionately. "Who would take me away?"

"The man in the uniform that took Esad's _baba_ away," she said, referring to a boy in her class. "Zeyn said they're taking all the good fathers from their families."

At hearing those words, Yusuf's face fell and his hold on his daughter tightened. She burrowed her head into his chest, hating that she had to repeat such horrifying words. But her father's solemnity drew from the fact that even the children had a vague idea of what was beginning to happen in their town. The succession of a new President had sent nervous shockwaves throughout the country, but after months of relevant quiet, the inevitable unrest was finally upon them.

People were disappearing. Vocal anti-government protestors were growing scarce in number, and the public was noticing. Good, respectable people, such as Esad's father, were being taken from their families, and sightings of the men in uniforms – otherwise known as 'the military' – were increasing every week.

And now the children knew. Wise as he was, Yusuf's reluctance at sharing too much with Mia stood true, because these years of innocence, of blissful naivety would never come back. And if the worst happened, if the nation was truly on the brink of war…then he wanted to prolong her limited youth as much as he could.

"Now, Riya, no more tears, can you do that for _baba_?" he asked with a smile. She nodded bravely, her baby browns fixed searchingly on him. " _Habibti_ , you know your brother says silly things when he's trying to tease you."

"But he wasn't teasing me, _baba_. He promised he was telling me the truth. He swore by God," she said earnestly.

Yusuf laughed. "Your brother's promises are not to be taken too seriously. And his words are certainly not worth your tears," he said as he touched her quivering chin.

"But, what if they _do_ take you? You haven't done anything wrong, it's not fair," she appealed.

As much as he hoped to avoid it, Yusuf knew that there were certain things he'd have to tell her. And that morning, when all was still well and desperation hadn't yet infested their lives, may have been the best time to do so. "You're a big girl now, _habibti_. And I think you're old enough for _baba_ to talk to you about something important."

She nodded her head keenly, clinging to his every word. "Yes, I'm 7 years old," she said, holding up 7 fingers in front of her father's half-mooned glasses.

"That's right," he chuckled. There was nervousness aflutter in his stomach as he began, "In your life, you will meet a lot of people, Riya."

"How many?" she asked curiously.

He shook his head. "Too many to count on your fingers." He held her hands in his. "And most of these people will be kind and happy, God willing. But some people…" he said lowly, "Some people won't be kind, nor will they be happy. And they will do terrible things in the world, things in the name of religion, in the name of their country, or just for themselves. And they will put sadness in people's lives."

Mia furrowed her brows. "But why do they do that?"

For that, Yusuf couldn't conjure up an answer good enough. "I don't know, sweetheart. Maybe because they think that what they're doing is right. Or because someone did something bad to them. We can't be sure, because each person is different." He nodded, "All we know is what to do when we meet them."

Mia asked eagerly, "What do we do?"

"We help the people that they're hurting," he said softly. "In the Quran, God says, 'Show kindness to parents, to the orphans, to the needy, to the neighbours and the companion by your side' (Quran, 4:37)."

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"It means that if someone is in trouble, no matter who they are, we help them. If someone is hurt, we help them. And if a bad person tries to do something wrong, we stop them." He grew quiet, thinking of all the ways his words applied to his own life and the struggles of so many people against an oppressive regime. "No matter how scared we are, or how much we could lose, we stop them."

Mia tried her best to understand the words of her father, though it would be years before the gravity of such sentiments would fully set in. She asked quietly, "But what if they hurt you when you try to stop them? What if they take you away, or take _mama_ away?" She sniffled, "I don't want you to go, _baba_."

Her head tucked under his chin, Yusuf rocked them in his armchair and felt her tears through the cotton of his jumper. No matter how empty his words may have been, how temporarily they may have brought her comfort, he said them nevertheless. Because one day, not too far from then, she would know real sadness. And before that pain became her life, she deserved a moment of peace.

"I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

 _ **Brooklyn, Present Day**_

"Okay…babe…you need…to slow down…I'm gonna pass out…" wheezed Mia through deep breaths. "My legs…are gonna…fall off…"

"We're almost there," said Bucky, leading his girl through a long-forgotten path in the early hours of the dawn. There were trees scattered along the way, with rocks and broken branches littering their trail. But even after all this time, it was still the same. And with each small landmark that he recognised, Bucky grew more and more anxious to see the view he knew lay beyond the clearing.

He turned around to see Mia with her hands resting on her knees, trying to control her breathing a few steps behind him. With a small smile, he retreated, "You okay?"

She looked up at his smug grin, clearly unimpressed. "Belly dancing for two weeks straight isn't ideal before trying to climb a mountain, Buck." She huffed, "My thighs are gonna file a lawsuit against me. And ' _mini Mia'_ isn't too pleased, either."

Without so much as a warning, Bucky bent down and coiled his arm around the back of her thighs, yanking her over his shoulder and inwardly beaming at her reaction.

" _What the_ —Bucky, what are you doing?!" she screamed, clawing at his back.

"Gotta keep ' _mini Mia_ ' happy," he said cheekily. "She's runnin' the show."

Mia huffed, "Is that you or ' _mini Bucky_ ' talking?"

"They're one in the same, sweetheart."

Mia couldn't help but laugh giddily as he continued through the path easily, with her direct line of vision to the back of legs. "Well, at least I've got a nice view."

"Nothing compared to mine," he said, with a loud _slap_ to her ass. He laughed heartily when she screamed in shock – or delight, same thing – before doing the same thing to him and not stopping until he had to forcibly hold her hands in place.

She crossed her arms and declared, "Put me down, old man, I'm a woman of dignity."

"'Course you are," he mumbled.

"You got something you wanna say to me, slick?" she challenged.

"No, ma'am," he smirked.

Mia nodded, "That's right," and with a clear recollection of their hours at the hotel in mind, asked cheekily, "How're your knees, by the way?"

Their solitude gave her the confidence to enquire about such a thing, and his nonchalance made him reply, "They're fine." He paused, "More worried about yours, to be honest. You were on 'em longer than I was."

Mia's outraged smile widened. "That's not how I remember it."

He snuck a hand to her ribs, "Need me to jog your memory?"

Mia broke into a fit of laughter as he tickled the side of her, screaming nonsensically and trying to stop his attack by holding his hand. He relented, and now both a little out breath, was glad to see that they'd reached the peak of their path. He let her down slowly, and as the sun rose idly above a darkened sky, he basked in the beauty of a familiar sight.

"Oh, wow," marvelled Mia. "This is…somethin' else."

They neared the edge of the grassy hill that overlooked the city, Brooklyn Bridge hidden at the far corner of their vision. Mia couldn't believe that there weren't more people there to behold such a sight, but the fact that it was 4:25am on a summer's morning probably had something to do with it. The pair sat down and said nothing for a while, both taking in the moment for what it was.

After a while, Bucky broke the silence. "We used to come here all the time when we were kids." Mia listened intently, "There was a reservoir at the base of that hill, used to ditch school and spend the day doing nothing."

Mia smiled, "Has it changed?"

He eyed the city that'd he'd been a part of all those years ago. "A little. Buildings are taller, water's muddier. But when I look at that sunrise…" he shook his head, "It's all the same."

She asked, "How'd you know it'd still be here?"

"Rogers." He paused. "He told me it was the first place he came after the DC attacks."

They'd grown so much closer in these last few months, and now that he'd mentioned it, Mia found herself wanting to ask about what'd been on her mind since it'd happened. "Can I ask you something?"

He nodded, "'Course."

She swallowed. "What…what was it like? I mean, seeing him again for the first time?" She wet her lips, "Do you remember it?"

Bucky let out a deep breath and kept his eyes on the horizon. He felt like he could tell her anything, but it was just a matter of finding the right words. "It was like nothing I've ever felt." He paused, "It was under the bridge, on the freeway. I don't…remember how it happened, but my mask came off. And he said my name." He swallowed, "Dunno how, but I knew his face, his voice. And after that…everything changed."

Mia put her hand on top of his, watching him closely as the sky above them grew lighter. For some reason, maybe because it was the first time he was recalling the entire ordeal in such detail, Bucky felt the need to share further. "They wiped me before the next mission, had me go back out the next day. We were on the helicarrier, and…I knew there was something different, but…I couldn't put my finger on it." He shook his head and said softly, "I would've killed him. But he said something, and I don't know how…but it took me back."

Mia squeezed his hand and murmured, "He was your family, Buck. You had to know him, even then."

He nodded, turning to his girl and sharing a small smile. It all seemed so simple, the fact that they were there, reflecting on a time that seemed galaxies away. But despite the heartache and tears shed, they were okay. _More_ than okay.

They were happy.

"Y'know, I've been thinking about my parents a lot lately," she said quietly, catching his attention. "I saw my dad in a dream two nights ago, the morning of the _sahra_."

He asked, "What was it about?"

She shook her head, "I've been tryna remember, but it keeps slipping away from me. It was more a memory than a dream." She grew quiet for a moment. "It was peaceful, though. Seeing his face, it felt…so real. Like he was right there, like I could reach out and touch him." Bucky's eyes never faltered from hers, though she was looking straight ahead. She smiled sadly, "I wish they could've known you. God, they would've been so happy."

Bucky smiled, sharing the sentiment. "They sound incredible."

"They were." She thought for a while. "I lost them at an age where I was too young to know that they had flaws. And, I guess that makes me lucky, 'cos they never got to disappoint me." Her eyes followed each cloud to the next, landing at a distant star that was yet to disappear into the morning sun. She squeezed his hand unthinkingly and said, "But they're watching over us."

He envied her conviction, at how easy it was for her to believe in something so much bigger than themselves. "You really think so?"

"I have to," she answered. "If I don't, then the only other answer is that I'll never get to see them again." She shook her head, determination on her lips. "I can't do that."

They sat in silence, each lost in thoughts as the sun rose once more and stayed suspended in the sky. They didn't leave until they heard other hikers approaching, after which they descended down the hill through a different track. They'd ridden there on Bucky's Harley, and their lack of helmets made it easier for him to justify speeding his way back to the hotel. Mia clung on with her arms wrapped around him, laughing and screaming interchangeably as he took chances with each corner. He did what he could to keep that smile on her face, whether it was blazing through a 40 m/ph street at 80, or weaving the bike unnecessarily to hear her shriek. It was hardly the way to detract attention from themselves, but for the first time in a long, long time…

…He didn't care who was watching.

* * *

"Of course—No, Mariyah, don't worry about it, I'm on my way," said Mia as she hung up the phone, now back at her place with Bucky. He'd just received word from Sam that they needed him back at the safe house, while Mia was frantically getting ready to head across town for some last-minute wedding errands.

"Everything okay?" asked Bucky as he shrugged his jacket on.

"They messed up a bunch of orders for the Lebanese sweets, so I've gotta go to their warehouse and see if they can get it fixed before Monday." She ran to her room and grabbed her bag, "What did Sam say?"

"We've got another lead from Joberg," he said. "Can't know for sure, but they might have some ties with ex-SHIELD operatives. We're gonna see what we can find."

Mia sighed apologetically. "Well, I'm sorry that we couldn't get through _one day_ without something popping up. I feel like every time we're alone, we have 500 other things that magically present themselves, and…just… _ugh_ , I don't know _._ "

Bucky sat down at the edge of her bed, the two of them blessedly alone on that fine Saturday afternoon. Amused by her frustration, he beckoned her, "C'mere." Mia dropped her bag and walked his way, taking his invitation and sitting comfortably on his lap. He looked up at her and decided to voice an idea that'd been forming for a while, one that he knew would lift her spirits.

"I'll tell you what," he said quietly. "When I get back from this mission, when you're all done with the wedding…I'll take you somewhere."

Mia's eyes brightened instantly. "What do you mean? Where?"

He shrugged. "Anywhere. Name a place."

Mia laughed even at the thought, shaking her head and saying, "You _know_ I don't mind. Stick me in the dingiest motel in Jersey, and I'll still be fine."

His face fell. "Anywhere but _there_."

She giggled and coiled her arms behind his neck, only to sober for a moment, "But what about everyone else? I can't just ask you to leave your team for some holiday retreat."

"They'll understand. I bet they'll probably be happy to get rid of me for a few days." He smiled knowingly, "I know Wilson won't complain."

"But your missions—"

"They can wait," he interrupted. "There'll always be something, Mia. And it's not gonna get any easier for us. We might as well take it while we can."

Mia grinned, her mind slowly opening up to the idea of skipping across a few states, or crossing the border, either North or South. Better still, the thought of a secret place they'd talked about weeks ago inundated her thoughts, a house on a hill, away from the world.

She carded her fingers through his hair and looked at him endearingly, treasuring the moment. "Thank you."

He shook his head. "There's nothing to thank. Just…something to look forward to." He looked at the clock behind her and sighed, "We're gonna be late."

She nodded, but made no effort to get off of his lap. "I know. Just…one more minute."

No part of her wanted to leave the comfort of their quiet room. But now she had something to anticipate, and it left her in lifted spirits. She leaned in and planted a soft kiss to his lips, lingering for as long as she could before they parted, unaware of the heartache that the night would bring.

* * *

As Mia would soon find out, the catering company responsible for the wedding's Lebanese sweets had not only failed to deliver, they'd _shut down_ for 3 weeks due to several unforeseen OH&S violations. Realising that she'd need to find a last minute replacement faster than the speed of sound itself, Mia had spent almost 5 hours of her Saturday afternoon Uber'ing her way to each Middle Eastern catering company in town.

Her first 3 destinations had been a giant waste of time, with each saying that an order of this size would need to be booked _at least_ 2 months in advance. After she'd called and begged nearly every place in the area listed on Google, Mia was resigned to the fact that her ventures would have to extend beyond the confines of the City.

She travelled across the Bridge and tried her luck there for 2 hours, only to be met with 2 more flat-out rejections, and 2 shopkeepers who promised to get back to her as soon as they spoke with their managers. The clock had struck 5:00pm by the time she was down to her last two options, before all the stores would be closed for the day.

The Lebanese bakery she was headed for resided in a pocket of Broken Hill, tucked cosily behind a liquor store and a thrift shop. There weren't many people that populated the street she dallied through, but her mind was too busy formulating the numerous ways in which she'd be apologising to Mariyah for single-handedly ruining one of the biggest components of her wedding.

When she entered the shop, she was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming scent of _ater_ – a sugary syrup used in most Arab sweets – that wafted from the kitchen. She turned to find slates upon slates of _baklava_ and _knafeh_ presented temptingly through the glass division, and for the first time since her quest began, she felt a little lucky.

She rang the bell, and was no sooner met by an old man wiping his hands on his apron, greeting her warmly. " _Masa' al khayr_ , how are you?"

Mia smiled, " _Bi khair, shukran_." She prepared to give the same pleading speech she'd spurted at every other store, clearing her throat and straightening her shoulders. "Listen, sir, I'm hoping you can help me out. I'm trying to find catering for my cousin's wedding, but we've been turned away by just about every other store in town."

He nodded understandingly and asked in Arabic, "Well, we cater for weddings all the time. What would you like to order?"

"Well, at least a dozen trays of _baklava_ and the same for _atayef_ and _namoura_ if it's possible." She rummaged through her bag and got out the list Mariyah had sent her. "Yes, and there's been a special request for _knafeh_ with cheese, as well as cream. Besides that, we're getting some of the aunties to help with the _muhallabia_ , so that shouldn't be a problem."

The man made a list of his own, his glasses perched charmingly at the end of his nose. He scribbled down some figures before asking, "And when will you need this all by, _habibti_?"

Mia paused. "Well, yes, uh, that's the thing. I mean, the absolute, _absolute_ latest we can have it by is…Monday night."

He whipped his head up. "…Monday?" She nodded apologetically. "… _Yani_ , the Monday…that is in 36 hours?"

She winced, "Look, I know this seems impossible, and it very well might be. But the people we were getting catering done from had some rats in the _knafeh_ or something, and they've been indefinitely shut down. I've been to pretty much every other Arab store within a 20 mile radius, and no one can help." She sighed, feeling the onset of a headache after such a long day. "I just…I really want this day to be everything my cousin hoped it'd be. And if you can help, then we won't mind the extra charges for overtime and short notice, I assure you."

The man looked at her with a sense of pity, seeing clearly that she was in desperate need of what she was asking for. It would no doubt result in him enlisting the help of 4 other bakers to get the job done in time, but without being proud, it wasn't the most he'd been asked to do for an order before.

He nodded once and said quietly, "Okay."

Mia's eyes widened. "Okay…okay as in… _okay_?" He nodded again, this time with a small smile, and Mia could've propelled herself across the counter to kiss his balding head had her senses not kicked in at the last minute. She thanked him profusely and gave him all of her details, including the name of the venue and the number of people who'd be in attendance. He warned her that the price may be one and a half times what she would've paid at any other joint, but she assured him that it would be of little consequence if they ended up with their desserts ready on the tables when they needed to be.

With a final exclamation of gratitude, she walked out of the humble bakery and into the street, not having realised the amount of time that she'd spent in it until she saw the sun setting gradually above the rooves to her West.

Her first point of duty was to call Mariyah and tell her the good news, which resulted in both of them sighing with relief as the final hurdle was crossed. She assured Mariyah that all she had to worry about now was the amount of sleep she'd get before her wedding, and whether her fiancé would have enough self-restraint to leave her be when he saw her in the coveted dress.

The pair talked as Mia roamed aimlessly through the streets, until Mariyah was called away by her mother for some last-minute arrangements. She bid her cousin goodbye with the firm belief that few people could be as happy for her as Mia was. Though their acquaintance was relatively new, there was an inexplicable bond between the two girls that they were infinitely grateful to have discovered.

No matter how brief a time it may have been for.

When Mia hung up the call, it was only to be immediately replaced by one from Bucky. She answered with a tired smile, and couldn't have been more happy with the way she hoped the night would end.

"Where are you right now?" asked Bucky, currently sitting shotgun with Sam driving them back to the safe house.

"I'm actually in your neck of the woods. Broken Hill, Brooklyn." It was only when Mia came to a pedestrian crossing that she _finally_ took notice of the lack of people occupying the afternoon streets. "I tried just about every other place in town, but _apparently_ it's impossible to make a couple'a hundred pounds of Lebanese sweets in 2 days time." She shook her head, "Thank God there was one man ready for the job."

Bucky smiled. "Well, listen, we're gonna pass through there anyway, so we'll pick you up. Which street are you on?"

Mia turned to try and find the name, but couldn't see any identifiable landmarks close by. Instead, she decided to walk around until something caught her eye, which ended up being a line of cheap stores – mostly closed – connected to a series of alleyways. "Alright boys, I'm gonna be standing near Dottie's Laundromat." She heard the unmistakable _bleep_ on her phone, telling her that she was at 2% battery, because _of course_ she'd forgotten to pack a portable charger on the one day she'd need it most.

" _Shit_ ," she whispered. "Okay, Buck, my phone's about to die but I'll be waiting here, okay? Take your time, no rush. Just drive—" her phone darkened to a black screen, and she sighed, "Safely."

Considering that the sun's light faded with every passing minute, Mia's inner safety radar told her to stay put and fight the temptation to wander off into the surrounding streets. Without a phone to entertain her, nor a nearby store to waste time at, she paced the footpath in front of Dottie's Laundromat for a while, letting the events of the day settle in as she did.

Skipping over the frantic afternoon she'd had, Mia's thoughts wound up replaying the night she'd spent with Bucky just hours earlier. Her midnight dance had been met with everything she'd hoped for and so much more, and she should've known better than to be worried as to how he'd receive it. The early hours of the morning had been spent in their hotel room, with him in a perpetual daze at what she'd performed, and her in a state of stupor at the way he'd reacted. She felt warm and loved and all the things she hadn't dreamed could be real in a world beyond fairy tales, and yet, she'd lived it.

Recalling their morning at the lookout and then her apartment, Mia couldn't help but smile giddily at the thought of them going away somewhere. The idea had thrown her off, and if she hadn't known him any better, she'd have thought he was saying it only to appease her. But something told her that he was just as much in need of an escape as she was, because though she wasn't privy to the nature of his assignments and missions, she knew their effects were not insignificant.

And for a few moments, while she walked back and forth and back and forth on the cracked pavement, she felt her future to be infinite. She could see herself enjoying time away with the man she loved, could envision them some years down the track with bigger dreams and aspirations in mind for one another. Realism be damned, for the briefest glimpse, she allowed herself to plan out a future that wasn't touched by sadness or heartache.

For Mia and Bucky, she decided, there would be milestones and breakthroughs and incredible feats achieved. But at the same time, there would be lazy Sundays and quiet weeknights spent at diners and all the simplicity that came with an ordinary life. She could see it. She could almost breathe in the air of normalcy, as if it were inviting her, _tempting_ her to believe, for a fleeting blink, that they could truly attain the happiness they so desired.

( **Trigger Warning)**

But her reverie was interrupted by what sounded like a loud whimper, followed by an even louder shriek. Mia's head whipped in every direction around her, trying to find the source of the disturbance. She waited as silence once again filled the darkening street, willing the thunderous beating of her heart to calm so she could respond to the next sound. She walked towards an alley that began a few yards away from Dottie's, and peered into it cautiously.

But as if on cue, the sickening scream of a woman sounded from the other side of the street. Without a moment's hesitation, Mia ran across the deserted road and made her way to the site, keeping her ears peeled for another clue as to where the commotion was unfolding. Of the series of interconnected alleyways, Mia stepped into one guardedly, her bag slung tightly over her shoulder and her hands at the ready.

Passing a heavily graffitied wall, she bent behind a dumpster to get a look into the lane attached to it, only to find it empty, save for loose smoke emitting from the pipes. Her mouth and throat now completely dry, she tried to steady her nerves as the sound of distant murmuring met her ears, and thought to at least let someone know she was there.

Her hand had no sooner reached for her phone that she remembered it was of no use in its current state, and her previous feeling of elation was now eclipsed with complete dread. She slowly eased her way down the alley, wary of the two other passages attached to it, and felt her heart drop to her stomach as she heard the growing cries of a woman coming from her right.

And that was all it took for her to disregard the caution she harboured, and replace it with courage.

She reached in her bag for her trusty _Kiridashi_ knife, slipping it out of its casing and leaving her purse at the edge of the alley before she abandoned the corner's safety. She peered into the narrow lane and saw a tall, slim man with his back to her standing next to a dumpster. She tried to get a better look at the struggle that was unfolding in front of him, but was obscured by the two large bins in her way. Stepping swiftly across to the other side of the bricked wall, Mia was finally able to get a sense of what was happening, but it took a moment longer for any of it to make sense.

There, on the brink of sundown in Brooklyn, NY, was a woman in a headscarf being pinned to the ground by a man twice her size, his dirtied hand covering her mouth and a blunt blade trying to cut through the fabric of her scarf. The other man in his company was watching, and was presumably supposed to be on the lookout for nosy passerbyer's, but he too was so enraptured in the horror unfolding before him that he'd forgotten his post entirely.

"A—Alright, Todd, maybe…m—maybe we should just leave it—"

"Shut the fuck up, did I ask you to talk? Hmm?" said the man as he succeeded in tearing the woman's _hijab_ from her head, still silencing the cries that threatened to spill from her lips. "I tell you to keep watch, you fuckin' keep watch, you understand me?"

The man hesitated, clearly inferior to the other and unsure how to respond in the way he wanted. "But—"

"One more sound," the man said, now turning to face the other and allowing Mia to see his face for the first time, "And I'll kill her and tell the pigs it was you, are you readin' my fuckin' words?"

Now quivering at the threat, the man nodded once in compliance and didn't speak again as the other taunted the woman, harshly mumbling words that Mia couldn't understand, nor wanted to. But she'd found her moment to strike, her chance to enter the alley unnoticed by either and help the woman as much as she could.

With adrenaline and fear and stumbling bravery coursing through her body, Mia entered the alley with her back grazing the wall the entire way to escape their view, nearing the man standing quietly and preparing herself for what could possibly be the last fight of her life.

" _We stop them,_ " she'd been told by her father once upon a time.

And with that reminder, her heart was set.

With a practiced speed, Mia brandished her knife and slashed it cleanly against the man's torso, before slamming his head against the bricked wall, sending a callous cry spluttering from his lips. She hurried to the other man and used his surprise to her advantage, kicking him firmly across the head and sending him hurling off of the woman. She didn't waste time in lowering herself to the ground and begin striking anywhere she could reach. Elbows, punches, knees to the face; she tried it all, but he curled in on himself and made use of his advantage in size.

Somewhere amidst her frantic attack, Mia managed to stumble out a plea for the woman to run away, as far as she could. But the woman remained on the ground, completely immobilised with fear at what had transpired, and Mia soon realised that if she stayed around for too much longer, the woman ran the risk of being caught in the crossfire.

With the man groaning in pain, Mia jammed her _Kiridashi_ into his thigh for good measure, resulting in a shrill yell from him and an added jolt to the woman's nerves. Breathing heavily and already rather spent of energy, Mia hurried to the lady and began to help her up from the ash-covered floor.

"Come on, there we go—I need you, sister, listen—" said Mia as she brought the woman's face to meet hers. Her eyes were completely bloodshot, and it was clear that she'd been struck to the face one too many times. Mia's heart turned cold at the sight, but everything else could be addressed once they were safe. Right now, she was just focused on getting the woman out of there alive.

"I want you to go to the main street and hail down a car, you understand?" Mia said clearly, holding her hands to either side of her face. "Sister, can you— _Hal tafahum al-Englizia_?"

The woman, now a little shaken from her faded state, managed to stutter out the word, "English."

"Sister, I'm gonna help you up and then you need to—"

No sooner had Mia begun the sentence, and she felt something cold strike the back of her head, sending her to the floor in mere seconds, but not forsaking her to unconsciousness. It left a terrible ringing in her ears, and when the slim man came into her blurred line of sight, clutching painfully at the gash to his stomach, Mia felt her blood run cold with fear.

Without warning, the man brought the metal pipe in his hand down _hard_ against her ribs, sending a cry of untainted pain from her being. She grasped at her torso in vain, because he used his dwindling strength to swing the pipe to her ribs again, and then to the side of her head. She fell on her back, but the adrenaline kept her from staying down too long. With as much power as she could conjure, Mia kicked the man's crotch and buckled his knee with a firm swipe, before clambering her way onto all fours in search of a weapon.

Vision distorted and head aching beyond compare, Mia felt around on the ground for something, _anything_ that she could use against the pair, while simultaneously begging the women to get up and run. After failing to find anything of use, she knew she was running out of time when the larger man got up from the ground, hobbling on his leg determinedly towards her, fury in his features.

"The piece—Get the fucking piece!" he yelled at his partner, who got up and nursed his groin as he hurried to the opposite end of the alley and vanished before Mia could stop him. With the man now standing, Mia's insides grew weak at his intimidating stature, 6'3 and well over 250 pounds. The knife was still wedged in his thigh, and while Mia wasn't sure what would happen in the following minutes, she just knew she had to get the blade back.

"Leave, and I won't call the cops," she said defiantly, her entire body aching but unwilling to forfeit the fight.

The man didn't say anything. Rather, it only egged him to close in on her without hesitation, his pale face glowering with rage. Mia's only comfort was that she'd fought men like him before, even if it'd only been in the safety of a ring. But that was more than nothing, and drawing from what she'd learnt over the years, she carried herself accordingly.

His strikes were powerful but sloppy, that much she knew within the first 10 seconds. He first just tried hurling himself at her, but even in the confined space of the lane, she managed to escape him and land an elbow to the base of his neck. He turned around and stumbled his way towards her, an unruly punch heading for her face had she not ducked and tried to reach for the blade.

Drawing in broken breaths, Mia ignored the break she felt in her ribs and wheezed to the woman, "Run! Get—Leave!"

The woman, finally regaining enough of her senses to comprehend what Mia said, scrambled onto her feet and watched on with conflict. She desperately wanted to help the stranger who'd saved her from an entirely different fate, but she knew their odds would be better if she acquired help from the streets, however empty they may have been.

Mia dodged 2 more punches, before catching a third that landed squarely on the same ribs she was sure had broken. She fell a few steps back, helplessly feeling the air escape her lungs as she tried to recover her balance. The man seized the moment to send another blow to her chin, which sent her to the ground with a nasty _crack_ of her head against the cement.

She lay there idly for seconds that felt like hours. Her vision was completely blurred, and the pain in her ribs was incomparable to any ache she'd ever felt before. The muted sounds of the city, few as they were, had been completely drowned out by the ringing in her ears. She recognised the taste of copper in her mouth, and with her head against the cold pavement, she realised there wasn't much she wouldn't give to get out of there alive.

But the time for wishing wasn't then. With all the will she could afford her body to expend, Mia leant back onto her elbows and readied herself as the man staggered his way to her. He himself was winded from the exertion of so much energy, and Mia knew that no strike he could land would be powered by any coordination. This was, perhaps, her only chance at doing enough damage to give her a window in which she could escape.

As he tripped his way to her, Mia saw an opening and did as she'd done with the other man. With a huff, she kicked his groin and again at the knife to disturb the wound, leaving him to howl out in pain. With him now on his knees, Mia heaved herself up and punched him square in the nose, before sending a swift uppercut to his chin and an elbow to his temple.

He was completely disoriented, and Mia fumbled about to yank out the blade from his thigh, only to jam it securely above the man's pelvis. His response was immediate, though it would've felt a lot more like a punch than a piercing through the skin in that moment. He tried to cling to Mia's arm as she drew away, his grip still remarkably vicelike and unrelenting. Trying desperately to break free from his clasp, Mia kneed him to the face and shrugged herself of his weight as he fell back.

His body landed on the concrete with a loud thud, and though he was still clearly conscious, there was hardly anything else he could do with a 5 inch blade secured above his navel. It wouldn't kill him, but the chances of him getting away by himself had been greatly reduced, and that's all she needed to know.

Using the alley walls to help her up, Mia used the last scrap of power she had to stumble along the pavement, the goal of reaching the ending in mind. Her breathing was still ragged and the deeper she tried to inhale, the sharper the pain shot through her ribs. She didn't know when she'd started crying, nor did she realise there was a gushing wound on her temple that had blurred her vision. It took her an entire minute to walk 10 meters, and she still hadn't made it halfway down the alley.

But no matter how long it took, she knew she had to make it to the end. Bucky would be waiting for her, and he'd be able to help her to safety. She'd be all cleaned up by the end of the hour, and her wounds would heal within 2 weeks. She'd be okay. She'd be okay.

These were the words she told herself, that she _believed_. And she repeated them in her heart and mind when it happened.

She raised her eyes from the ground to see the slim man, his entire shirt bloodied and his hand quivering, a gun nestled within his palm and his finger on the trigger. And regretful as he may have been, he didn't hesitate.

She felt the first bullet pierce her skin, but was numb to the one that followed.

And within moments, she had fallen.

* * *

The sound of the gunshot entered Bucky's ears the moment they turned into the street. It terrified him in a way gunfire never had before, and his entire body fell stiff as he heard it again.

Sam stopped the SUV in its tracks and looked to his partner, but Bucky had no sooner opened the door and hurried out of the car in front of Dottie's. He didn't know where the shot had come from, and there were too many alleys to cover on his own. With a controlled voice, he said to Sam, "Check this side. I'm across the street."

"Copy," and with that, Sam parked the car a few paces away, reloading his Beretta as he walked to the bricked walls.

His heart rate growing with each step, Bucky listened carefully for any sound, any disturbance that could be heard. He called out her name once, then twice, then three times, without any response. He entered the first of the alleys with his pistol at the ready, but found no trace of her. Not a bag, nor a phone, nothing.

He called her name again as he ran across to the connecting lane, hoping beyond hope that she was sitting on a stairwell somewhere across town, waiting patiently for them to come get her. He made his way through another lane, only for it to lead to the main street once more. With growing frustration, he entered the next alley and followed it through its turns, until finally, he heard a _clang_ from somewhere nearby.

He traced the sound as far as he could, which led to yet another passage that was lined with dumpsters and riddled with graffiti. He checked behind him periodically, not trusting his hearing alone to be sure he hadn't been tailed. He was a few steps away from the adjacent lane when he spoke her name one last time, not knowing whether he was more desperate to hear a reply or be met with silence.

But he didn't have to wait for a reply. There, not 20 feet away from him, was Mia's body surrounded by an ocean of blood, her hand clutched around the metal pipe she'd rattled to draw his attention.

And from all his decades spent on Earth, nothing, _nothing_ had been more painful.

* * *

 **4 weeks ago, Mia's apartment**

" _I can't think of one."_

 _Mia slapped his bare shoulder, still under the covers, comfortable in bed with Bucky at her side. "C'mon, there has to be some place. Anywhere in the world."_

 _He shook his head. "I don't know." He thought for a moment before turning his face to hers and asking, "Where would you go?"_

 _Mia shifted on her stomach, so her elbow was resting on his chest. His hand stroked the side of her arm unthinkingly, his eyes set on hers in the early hours of the morning. "Well, I don't know about my dream holiday, but…I've always kinda had a place in mind. Y'know, this idea of where I'd wanna go."_

 _He nodded, urging her to continue._

 _Mia laughed shyly. "Well, for starters, I always imagined it being somewhere in the open. Maybe a clifftop, or the side of a lonely hill." She traced over a scar on his shoulder mindlessly. "I picture this house, y'see. It's not too big, not too small…just right. I guess it's kinda like our place in Aleppo, clay rooftop and all. It has a fireplace. Maybe a balcony that looks out to an ocean." She smiled a little, "And it's sunset. Always, always sunset."_

 _Bucky could picture it clear as day, and his mind took a liking to what he saw. "Sounds beautiful."_

" _It is." She smiled sadly, "Too much to ask for in this lifetime, though."_

" _You don't know that," he said quietly._

 _She smiled up at him, her long lashes growing heavy as the call to sleep tempted her. "You wanna go there with me?"_

 _His lips curled into a small grin. "If you'll have me."_

 _She couldn't help but giggle at the thought. "I don't even know if it exists."_

 _He shook his head. "It's waiting for you somewhere." He held her a little closer, "You'll get there someday."_

 _Her heart swelled at the thought. She whispered, as though sharing a secret, "You promise?"_

 _He nodded, unsure as to whether he'd be able to keep his vow, but knowing he'd do whatever it took. "Promise."_

* * *

 **Present Day**

"Mia," he whispered. His legs carried him to her while his brain felt completely numb. He was at a loss for…everything. He fell to the ground beside her and didn't know where to look, broken at the sight of blood trickling from her temple and gushing from her stomach.

"Bucky," she said through tattered breaths.

Tearing him from his paralysed state, Bucky stuttered, "I'm here. I'm here, I'm—"

"I can't…agh, I…can't," she rasped, trying to turn on her side.

"Don't move, hey, stay still, baby. Fu—fuck," he said frantically, his mind running amuck at the way she was sprawled in front of him. The first thing he did was shred the thin jacket he wore, corking it against her stomach to stop the bleeding from where both bullets had entered. He tried to elevate her head against his lap, but the inhuman shriek that fell from her lips at any such movement rendered him helpless to do so. Instead, he cushioned her head from the pavement with his hand, trying desperately to find a way he could carry her out of the alley.

"You're okay, listen to me, can you hear me? Mia?" he asked helplessly as her face grew unimaginably pale. "C'mon, baby, listen to me. It's me."

Mia's eyes struggled to stay open as she felt him tap her face, but she did it nevertheless. It hadn't taken long for the blood loss to take its toll, but when she saw the look on his face upon inspecting the wound, she knew it was much more than that.

The bullet had pierced her aorta. And regardless of all his years of experience, of his wealth of training and the boundless knowledge at his disposal, he couldn't prevent what was about to happen.

He was going to lose her.

"Bucky," she said, tears streaming down her blood smeared cheeks.

But regardless of what her odds told him, he wasn't giving in that easy. "Okay, we're gonna get you to a hospital."

"Buck—"

"You gotta hold onto me, you understand?"

"Bucky," she whimpered, pain defiling every last beautiful feature she had. "It's okay."

He shook his head, unprepared to hear what he knew she was about to say. "You need to get to a hospital, all you gotta do is hold on, baby. Just hold on."

She felt her breathing grow patchy, and the harder she tried to take in air, the less it obliged. Even in her disorientation, she steadied herself, just like she'd done all those years in training. She took shorter breaths and ignored the urge to fill her lungs.

But she'd accepted it. She tried to stretch those last few moments out as long as she could. And when her body grew colder, and her will grew tattered, it was a beautiful thing to know that she wasn't alone.

" _Hayati_ ," she said, her bloodied hand lifting to his cheek and touching the tears that marred it. "Look at me."

Not meeting her eyes, he said helplessly, "We've gotta go home. Mia, you've gotta come home."

"Look at me," she repeated.

"I'll take you anywhere, just stay with me," he pleaded harshly, not paying heed to her words. "There's gotta be something—Just hold on, don't let go."

She turned his cheek with all the strength she had left in her and smiled brokenly as their eyes met, robbing the last morsel of hope he had. "You'll be okay."

"Don't. No."

"You'll be okay," she whispered, "Hey." Her chin quivered uncontrollably as she touched his lip, "I'm so proud of you."

"Don't say it," he spoke harshly, as though his anger would change anything. "Stay."

"I'm here." She smiled defeatedly and murmured, "I know where I wanna go."

His held his hand over hers against his cheek, his eyes bloodshot as he nodded. "Anywhere."

"To the hilltop." She tightened her grip on his hand, "We can leave tomorrow, before sunrise."

He nodded obligingly, his spirit battered. "Done."

"Promise me," she whispered. "Promise you'll take me."

His resolve broke and he shook his head. "I can't."

"You promised," she urged. "Promise me."

He nodded resignedly, " _Waead_." He shut his eyes, "Anything."

She nodded, feeling her presence of mind slip away with each passing moment. This was it. This was what it'd all been leading up to. And as the sun's fading light left them and the night sky took its place, all the stars felt infinitely closer.

"Know," she breathed shakily, "It was always you."

"No, don't leave," he begged. "Mia, not now. Stay with me. Stay."

" _Fi 'ayi haya_."

 _In any life._

" **When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; and on that very day his plans perish." (Psalm, 146:4)**

* * *

 _Hayati_ – My life (term of endearment)

 _Masa' al khayr_ – Good afternoon/evening

 _Bi khair, shukran_ – I'm good, thank you

 _Hal tafahum al-Englizia_? _–_ Can you speak English?


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

It's a strange thing, dying.

Not strange in its arrival or the nature of it, but in its affect on the hearts and minds of people around us. We see it every day. We know Death steals scores of victims each second, from every corner of the world. And yet, we only begin to understand its significance, its chaos and its torment when it happens to someone we love.

There was a young boy from Brooklyn in 1929 who'd first known loss at the death of his uncle. In '37, his best friend's mother was lost to a battle of TB. And in '44, he'd fallen to his fate in the mountains of a foreign land. It wasn't long until he was robbed of everything, each memory, the faces he'd once been able to recognise anywhere. It was agony, beyond the comprehension of any ordinary being.

And yet, here he sat on the cold pavement of an alley, more than a decade into the 21st century, and every torment of his past paled in comparison to what was before him.

* * *

"I see 'em. Okay, JARVIS, deploy 'Chamber'."

Tony Stark rarely answered his phone. The President of Guatemala could be calling – which had happened on more than one occasion– and he'd still find something more pressing to attend to. Sure, calls from Pepper and Happy and the Korean take-away place down his street were always accepted, but everyone else was left to wonder what they'd done to make Tony ignore their existence so stubbornly.

But regardless of his borderline social ambivalence, there was one thing he always, _always_ responded to. All it took was for an ancient, outdated beeper to start blinking, and he knew someone needed him. It was triggered by the click of an ordinary button, one that each member of the Avengers carried with them as per Tony's request.

He was old fashioned like that.

So he'd been summoned, but by who, he didn't know. All that he got were a set of coordinates, and really, that's all he needed.

Usually he'd send out an unmanned suit for this sort of thing. But the destination would take less than a few minutes to reach, and Tony found himself intrigued as to what kind of scene he'd stumble upon in a rundown area like Broken Hill, Brooklyn.

JARVIS had run a scan of the area, and it didn't take long to identify 2 heat signatures emitting from an abandoned alley. The scan detected a woman with grievous bodily wounds and a barely-there heartbeat, along with a man whose blood pressure was high enough to warrant hospitalisation.

"'Chamber' is being deployed, sir," said JARVIS as one of Tony's newer innovations came to use. The 'Chamber' was a fully automated, self piloted medical pod that was controlled from the suit, and acted as an insulation system for critically injured persons. Being the size of coffin, the Chamber was big enough to act as a mobile ambulance, but compact enough to fit into any decent sized space.

The alley was only _just_ wide enough to make it work.

From the ground, Bucky's anguish was only disturbed by the unmistakable hum of repulsors in the near distance, and when he tore his eyes from Mia's unconscious body, his confusion only grew. Descending from the roof of the alley was an enclosed pod, slowly making its way to the pavement and seemingly controlling itself.

Even in his state of numbness, he was wary at first. The fact that his arm was fully only display due to his lack of jacket was only now occurring to him, and the unmistakable sound of sirens in the far distance only added to his anxiety.

But the minute the compact pod opened and presented a stretcher beneath an assortment of medical equipment, his apprehension only grew.

Surely, it couldn't be…

"Put her on the stretcher," came a voice from the pod that he refused to believe belonged to Tony Stark.

His breathing growing rampant, he muttered, "What—No, she's—"

"Barnes," projected Tony's voice from an unknown vantage point. "She's got a pulse. We're taking her to the Tower." At Bucky's hesitance, or rather his inability to understand what was going on, Tony flew to the top the alley, before lowering himself within clear sight of him.

So many question plagued Bucky's mind, the first of which being why on Earth Stark would be there to help them. How had he known? Who'd told him? None of it made sense. And yet, his heart threatened to leap out of his chest at the thought of there being a chance, even the _slightest_ , that she could be saved.

On that pavement, Tony saw a man nursing the bloodied body of an unfamiliar woman, his face manic with horror and eyes bloodshot with fatigue. It was…strange to see someone he'd known so little in such a vulnerable moment. He almost felt as if he was intruding on something, as though he should avert his eyes.

But more than that, on seeing Bucky and the nameless woman in his arms, something changed in him. Something that couldn't be boiled down to a feeling or a thought, he supposed. Perhaps it was too big to be defined by a vessel so expendable as a word.

But with his sights set on them both in the early hours of a black night, Tony knew that he would do everything he could to help.

"She's gonna be alright," he said as he drew back the mask of his suit, revealing his face. He spoke with conviction, "You have my word."

All this happened within a few seconds, and yet, it seemed like an age. But Bucky saw sincerity in his eyes, regardless of how much he thought to see deceit. He wasn't lying. And whether he'd live to regret trusting a man who loathed his very existence would be worried about later. Right now, there was only one thing of importance.

He nodded once, and after he moved her body onto the stretcher and the pod doors shut, it was all out of his hands.

* * *

The ride to the Avengers Tower passed by without a word spoken. Sam drove, and with Bucky's shirt drenched red and a dangerously vacant look in his eyes, he didn't need to know beyond what was clear. Sam's own anxiety began to nag at him, the way it usually did when the recesses of his thoughts became louder than the voice of reason. And as much as he wanted to know, as much as he _needed_ to be certain that his friend would be okay, he knew that the man to his right was in no mind to say anything, let alone what he couldn't be sure of.

Sam took the SUV into the garage at the Tower's base, and they couldn't have gone up the levels any quicker if they tried. Bucky's eyes stayed glued to the floor, his breathing still dangerously inconsistent and his thoughts in complete disarray. For all he knew, her heart could've stopped in the minutes it'd taken for the pod to fly her to the Tower, or it could be failing as he was stuck in the confines of the elevator.

But amidst the doubt and the confusion, a small, timid voice at the back of his head told him to keep faith.

Because that's what she would've wanted.

Stepping off of the elevator, JARVIS informed them that they'd arrived to the 'Science Laboratory' level, which was home to a medical bay that boasted of Stark-level standards. Having been there twice before, Sam knew the ropes a little better. He asked JARVIS, "Where's Mia being treated?"

"Down the first corridor and to the left, Mr Wilson."

The two followed his instructions and made their way to it, only to see it occupied by a set of familiar faces.

There stood Steve, Nat and Tony around a large holographic table, a grave look plastered on each of their faces. Unaware of the pair's presence, Tony continued to speak on the call he'd taken.

"This isn't negotiable, Doc," he said in a stern tone. "We don't have 'til tomorrow. If she keeps going the way she is, she won't last the night."

Bucky listened on unsettlingly, he and Sam still standing at the entrance of the hallway rather than going in further.

"Doc, I—I understand—Listen— _Cho_ ," he said resolutely, walking towards the computer panels on the other side of the room. "I need this from you. There's no two ways about it." He was out of earshot from Steve and Nat, but he was unknowingly close enough for Bucky and Sam to make out each word. "I can have a jet out to you in 20 minutes. Name a price. The patient you're ditching? I'll triple your commission." He let out a deep breath, as though steadying his own nerves. "Please, Doc."

Whatever answer he was given, Bucky wouldn't know, because Steve and Nat caught sight of them standing in the doorway and said their names in surprise.

" _Yakov_ ," mumbled Nat, her usually stoic demeanour betrayed by the pain she felt at such a thing. They walked their way, and neither one of them could get a word out before Bucky spoke.

"Where is she?"

Steve's face was crestfallen, and he didn't know a single thing that could make any of this better for his friend. "She's in the room. There are 2 doctors with her." He couldn't look past the deadened look in his eyes as he said, "We haven't seen her, Buck. They won't let anyone in."

Bucky's frame grew rigid as he asked, "What are they saying?"

Nat replied reluctantly, "It was a clean shot to the aorta." She swallowed, "Multiple contusions to the brain, 4 broken ribs, a collapsed lung."

Bucky filed away the details of her attack for the moment when he asked quietly, "Is she gonna make it?"

Nat shook her head, "It's too early to—"

" _Natalia_ ," he said, unwittingly reverting to the name he'd once called her. He pled brokenly, "Just tell me."

Nat didn't have the chance to answer, because Tony came in from behind them and did so in her place. "We've got the world's best geneticist landing in an hour." Everyone turned to him while he looked only at Bucky, something he hadn't been able to do the first time he'd come around. "If anyone can help your girl, it's her."

There was a palpable air of discomfort about the room, and not just due to the uncertainty of Mia's fate. Everyone felt it, but Steve feared it. He knew what both men were capable of, goodness and evil alike. And if he was certain of one thing, it was that Tony's unrequested generosity wasn't easy for Bucky to stomach, let alone understand.

Tony broke the silence by asking, "What about family? Mom and dad? A sister?"

No one replied, leaving it to Bucky to answer. "A brother. And an aunt."

Tony's face fell fleetingly, and somehow, it didn't feel right that a girl in that state didn't have a mother or father's comfort to count on. "Are they in the country?"

Sam answered, "They're 10 minutes away." He stepped up next to Bucky and said, "They have to know."

He nodded once, but the very thought of Zeyn seeing his little sister in such a state spread ice in his veins. There were few things that would wound Bucky like the disappointment of a brother, and someone who'd become a dear, dear friend.

"I'll tell him."

* * *

Zeyn had been sitting in their apartment with _khaala_ when he received the phone call. They'd been talking about Mia, funnily enough. Having just returned from some formal functions at the Casablanca, the aunt and nephew were in the kitchen eating an early dinner, talking proudly of the fact that Mia had made a full life for herself in the States.

She'd graduated from an incredible university, had a neat casual job with bosses she adored, and the support of so many wonderful friends. She was steady cruising, and neither one of them could've been more proud.

But then Zeyn took a phone call from Bucky, telling him that Mia was on life support and being treated at an address he didn't recognise as the Avengers Tower.

And it was strange how in the exchange of a few words, everything, _everything_ can change.

* * *

The Tower's security detail was alerted to the fact that Mia's family would be coming in, all except two guards. That's why when the elevator brought them to the Laboratory level, Zeyn and _khaala_ were met with 2 broad and uninviting men at the entrance of the hallway.

"Sir, this is a high clearance area. The Lilac Foundation Convention is on Level 7," said the man in a deep voice.

"But we—" tried _khaala_.

"Ma'am, I need to ask you to step back onto the elevator."

"You don't understand," said _khaala_ with a shattered spirit. "We need to—"

But Zeyn's temper hadn't any time for such formalities. There weren't words in English nor any other language that could express his state of mind, and when the man grabbed his arm to usher him back to the lift, he snapped.

"Touch me again, and I'll kill you," he said lowly.

"Sir," the man said in a raised voice, "Step back in the elevator."

"My daughter," said _khaala,_ with tears spilling from her deep brown eyes. "My daughter is there, we were told to come here."

"Ma'am, we haven't been told anything of the sort. I'm afraid you've got the wrong building."

"No, please," she said in a voice that attracted the attention of others on the level. "My daughter. She is here, we need to—" she shook her head exasperatedly. "She is dying, _abnataya tamut_ ," she said frustratedly. She turned to Zeyn, " _Akhburhum_."

But Zeyn didn't need to tell them anything, because Tony, followed by Bucky, walked out into the hallway. "Titto, Fletch, they're with me," Tony said. "Let 'em through."

Zeyn barely had the presence of mind to recognise Tony Stark, because his eyes were fixed on the man behind him, the same one he'd entrusted to protect his little sister.

"Where is she?" he asked coldly, walking up the hall.

Tony answered, "We set up a room for her in—"

Ignoring Tony completely, Zeyn locked eyes with Bucky, and both of them knew what was about to happen.

"You told me you'd keep her safe," said Zeyn as he closed the distance, "You were supposed to protect her. How the fuck did this happen?"

Words were leaving his mouth without him realising what he was saying, and it wasn't long before his grief-stricken mind had completely lost all sense of calm. There, in the corridors of the Tower, Zeyn began swinging reckless, pitiful punches to Bucky's face, his body, anywhere his frustration would allow. Bucky deflected them half-heartedly, and made it clear that he didn't want _anyone_ to pry Zeyn away.

He took the sorrowful words that Zeyn spouted, absorbed the abuse and didn't make an effort to pacify him. This wasn't the time. And if there was a single person in the world whose pain superseded Bucky's, it was her brother's.

There came a point, after Steve and the others had joined them, where Zeyn's body tired from exerting so much energy. And as Bucky's hold on his arms prevented him from throwing anymore punches, he simply broke.

Angry, inconsolable sobs fell from Zeyn's lips, his entire body riddled with a deep ache. His head fell forward onto Bucky's chest, and everyone watched on, sharing his grief. Zeyn tugged helplessly at Bucky's shirt, memories of a different time flooding to mind, when he'd almost lost everything. Visions of his parents, of bullet shells dropping to the floor, of blood staining the pavement of the City Hall.

It all came back in a way he'd never let happen before. That moment in his past was rarely revisited, purely for the sake of his own sanity. But in that haze, it was all that consumed him, and details he hadn't thought of in years came to mind.

He remembered the way he'd held Mia when their mother shielded their father from the bullets. His hand had covered her eyes, because even at that age, he hoped to save his sister from living a life where she was followed by the hauntings of that moment. Their bodies had hit the floor, and they died as they lived; at each other's side. And Zeyn had known that Mia's life, her health and her safety would forever be in his care.

But now her body was failing her, her spirit on the verge of leaving him.

And just like that, a boy from the foothills of Aleppo had lost everything. Again.

" _La Riya. Ya Illahi, iinaha kal ma ladaya. La Riya. Laysat hi._ "

' _Not Riya_ ,' he begged. ' _God, she's all I have. Not Riya. Not her.'_

The entire hall drowned in his howls, and one by one, each person filtered into the room. Nat ushered _khaala_ into a different part of the level, while Steve, Sam and Tony went back into Bruce's lab.

And that left the two men in Mia's life in the corridor of a foreign place, both ruined by regret.

Though he wasn't sure when it'd happened, Zeyn clung to Bucky in an embrace neither one of them had shared in a lifetime. Zeyn's cries didn't cease, and Bucky's grip around him didn't falter. They both needed an anchor, and there were few who could comprehend the despair one experiences in that moment. It's a helpless feeling, you see, to _know_ in your very bones that there isn't a single thing you can do to help someone you love. No money you can offer, no comfort, no false promise.

Just faith; faith in the idea that there's someone out there answering the prayers of the desperate.

The onset of fatigue grew in Zeyn as he released Bucky from his clutch, his legs ill-equipped to support him and his head throbbing with an excruciating pain. He wiped tiredly at his eyes and ran a hand over his face, only to look up at Bucky to see him in a mirrored state of agony.

Zeyn swallowed. "I wanna see her."

Bucky nodded once, and it was clear that the doctor's forbiddance wouldn't stand in the way of either of them. "So do I."

* * *

From the very first glance, Bucky knew it wasn't her.

The person lying in that hospital bed, with bandages laced across her body, an unrecognisably bruised face and a pitiful heartbeat couldn't be her. Surely, someone once so full of life, who embodied the existence of all that was lovely and charming, couldn't have been reduced to such a state.

Mia, _his_ Mia, wasn't broken. She was flawed, and certainly not without fault, but she wasn't broken. Her spirit wouldn't allow that of her. And the woman before him was lifeless, save for the machine that forced a heartbeat from her. She'd been battered and bruised by an animal, and this was what remained of her exterior.

But as she lay there, unaware of his presence in the room or that of anything around her, he knew.

He _knew_ his girl was in there somewhere.

The doctors had only permitted Bucky and Zeyn to see her separately, and for 20 seconds each. They said they couldn't run the risk of any contamination or mistake before Dr Cho arrived, and that was enough for them to oblige.

But Zeyn's visit was shorter still. Here was a man who'd been in rings with concussed fighters, with men suffering from broken legs, protruding tailbones and more blood on their person than one would think humanly possible. And yet, a timid look at his baby sister in a similar state, lying unconscious on a white hospital bed, and he couldn't stomach the sight for longer than a moment.

He left the room before he'd even had the chance to fully enter, and he walked back out into the corridor. His body led him to the nearest door and pushed it open, unaware of where he was, but unfazed either way. He slid down against the wall of the darkened room and closed his eyes, desperate for a reprieve from the noise in his head.

Zeyn focused on controlling his breathing and willed his blood pressure to steady, whispering softly to calm himself in the solace of the room. He stayed there for a long while, certain that no one would see him in his moment of weakness.

But little did he know that Tony was perched in Banner's lab, watching the security feeds for the entire level and seeing the way this one, seemingly insignificant woman had affected so many people's lives. He saw Zeyn bearing the aftermath of an anxiety attack in the Chemistry Lab, while _khaala_ cried quietly to herself in the sprawling lounge on the opposite end of the level.

His eyes travelled to Steve on the balcony, the unmistakable glower of loss eclipsing his every feature. He was looking out at the city before him, alive and bustling and carefree, but the reality of New York was that it was no stranger to sadness like this. And this'd hit him at a time when he'd least expected it, to someone he hadn't dreamed would fall in harm's way.

Sam was nowhere to be seen on the feed, and Tony figured he'd taken solace in a place outside the Tower. His eyes trailed to look for Bucky, who was sitting in the solitude of an emergency stairwell on the north side of the building. His head was in his hands, his body unmoving. Tony tried to tear his eyes away, just like he had in the alley, but something wouldn't let him.

For reasons beyond his understanding, his thoughts drifted to a time after his parents' death when he'd found himself in the same situation Bucky was currently in. He'd detached himself from the world, and everyone in it. He'd gone from angry to sad to heartbroken, but regardless of all that he felt, nothing would bring them back.

Seeing Bucky, a man he should've despised more than any other, stripped to such an abhorrent state, brought him no satisfaction. In fact, there wasn't a single victory to be tasted in the suffering of his enemy.

And that puzzled him. Surely, for all his supposed ego and the posturing he hid behind, there should've been a corner of his heart that was happy. This was payback in its most vile form, because it bore no harm to the man he hated. Instead, he was forced to watch on with his hands tied helplessly, unable to save the woman he loved. Seeing an adversary so bound should've had its twisted charm.

But the truth was that Tony siphoned no happiness from seeing a man so defeated. And in its stead, the situation gave rise to unhinged curiosity, to the point where only two questions remained on his conscience;

Who was this woman, and what'd happened to her?

Upon seeing Nat looking through the glass that separated Mia's room, Tony made his way to join her. He knew she must've heard him coming, but even then, she didn't bother to move. All traces of composure had vanished from her face, and she watched Mia's lifeless body through the partition with muted hope, as though she could will her to come back.

"You still drink coffee? Or are you goin' for all that kale and cabbage stuff now?" asked Tony wantonly.

Nat replied quietly, "I'm okay."

"You sure? There's a fresh pot in the lab with your name on it," he tried.

She simply shook her head, and returned her sights to Mia. Tony came to stand next to her and shared in her view, silently wondering at what he saw. And it wasn't long before his curiosity got the best of him.

"I don't know her name," he said quietly.

"Miriya," she replied. "She goes by 'Mia'."

He noted, "Seems like she's got everyone here danglin' on a thin thread."

"If you knew her, you'd understand," she said plainly. "She's a good kid, with a good heart." She muttered unmovingly, "And if we know anything about this place, it's that people like her are the first to go."

He thought for a moment, before asking, "What's her story?"

Nat sighed softly. "She has a comprehensive file you can read."

"Why would I need a file when you're right here?" he quipped.

She eyed him half-heartedly, before beginning a short tale in a steady voice. "She was born in Syria before the war. Had a brother, her parents, some family there. She was 7 when things got bad, and 10 when they got worse. Her aunt and uncle lived in Sydney, they sponsored the family to move there." She paused, "Her parents were killed 2 hours before they were supposed to leave town. And it's been her and her brother ever since."

Tony fell quiet, and his eyes travelled back to Mia's body. Her face was unrecognisable given the horrid bruising, but he felt his heart grow heavy at thought of what she'd endured. His intelligence never faltered in the wake of grief, and after making a few connections with past information he'd received, a clearer picture was painted.

"Operation Sandpaper, that was her?" he asked.

Nat nodded. "We had 10 days to track down and take out Al-Nasser. It wasn't more than a few months after SHIELD went down, all our connections were fried."

"You took a civilian into a warzone, Nat," he said disbelievingly.

"I know what we did," she said collectedly. "But we were out of options. And it couldn't have been done any other way."

He shook his head, "How'd you even know who she was?"

Nat smiled weakly, "Barnes tried to kill her in a Georgetown parking lot." Tony hardly seemed surprised at that, when she continued, "And Wilson knew her from some programs. We knew that getting past the border would be hard enough, but navigating that territory was impossible. The people in town would've sniffed out a foreigner before we said a word. Al-Nasser had spies in every city, we couldn't afford that. We needed a local, agent or not."

"You just decided you could trust her with something like that?"

"She never gave us reason not to," she replied truthfully. "And we haven't regretted it a day since."

For someone whose work depended mostly on calculated risks, this shouldn't have surprised Tony as much as it did. He could accept that she'd been of service to the team in a moment of desperation, but that didn't explain everything else. It didn't shed any light as to how an attack on her had gathered 3 Avengers, a decorated veteran and the most allusive assassin in modern history to one place, with each person seeming as though they were on the verge of losing their dearest comrade.

"But the mission finished, Nat. It was over. Why'd you keep her around for so long?" he asked frankly, wanting to understand the situation as best he could.

Nat's eyes never faltered from her friend's body when she spoke, "We wanted to stay."

"'Cos Barnes had a crush?" he guessed mockingly.

"Because of _her_." She took a moment to try and explain herself. "Decades in this business teaches you to keep good people close when you find them." She admitted quietly, "I didn't wanna let go of a good thing."

A little taken aback by her answer, he asked reluctantly, "And Barnes?" He paused, "What's his place in all of this?"

She looked up at Tony, respecting his choice to ask rather than assume when it came to a man like Bucky. "They've tried their hand at things since we came back from Aleppo." She paused, "He doesn't deserve her. And he knows that." She shook her head, "But Mia's too blind to see it, and too naïve to believe that she's the best thing that's ever gonna happen to him."

His thoughts floated to the woman in his own life, and how those words somehow fit her so aptly as well. "Women usually are."

They both fell quiet as moments passed by, the stars in full view from their corner of the floor and the sounds of the city accompanying their silence. It would be longer still before Nat disturbed the calm, and when she did, Tony listened only with a keen ear.

"Someone did this to her," she said quietly, her green eyes brimming with forlornness, "And I don't think she's gonna make it."

Knowing better than to lather Natasha Romanoff with false hope, Tony concurred. "Her chances aren't overwhelming. But," he said confidently, "We're bringin' out all the stops for this one. She'll get what she needs, I'll make sure of it."

Nat hid her surprise at his determination well, but one question still nagged at her senses. "How did you know she'd be there?"

He turned to her. "I'm guessing you had something to do with her having a button for my beeper," he suggested. "But I couldn't spot it when I got to her, so," he shrugged, "Beats me."

Nat furrowed her brows. "You mean she didn't press it?"

" _Alls I know is_ I got beeped, with coordinates showing her location, but she didn't have it on her when I got there."

She asked curiously, "Can we get footage from the area?"

He nodded. "I'll see what JARVIS can get his hands on." He paused, "You might not like what we find."

"Not knowing isn't an option we can indulge. We need a face, a name, somebody to hold responsible." She shook her head resolutely, "She deserves that much."

"Sir, Dr Cho's conveyance has arrived. Shall I authorise entry?" asked JARVIS.

Nat and Tony looked at one another, anxious energy spreading through the room. "Send her in, J."

* * *

For all the intelligence Bucky had amassed over his life, it came as a bit of a surprise that he understood next to nothing of what Dr Cho was explaining to their team upon her arrival. She addressed the doctors with a reassuring urgency, and was followed by a crew of theatre assistants in scrubs who were wheeling in a pod, not too dissimilar to the Chamber, and setting it up in the confines of Dr Banner's lab.

Dr Cho didn't waste time with unnecessary formalities, nor did she have the luxury of explaining the details of her approach to Mia's loved ones. But there wasn't a single person in that room who would entertain the idea of her squandering precious time in making them understand the complexities of the necessary procedure. Instead, they watched powerlessly as Mia's bed was wheeled into the lab, and didn't bother moving as the doors swung shut.

It took an hour for the initial tests to be completed. Each person on that level was in a similar state of distress, but resigned to their fate, they busied themselves with what they could. Steve, Nat and Sam reorganised the details of the assignment they'd been tasked with for the following day, knowing full well that Bucky's involvement wouldn't be possible. They themselves did so without enthusiasm or eagerness, but keeping their minds preoccupied was the only way to pass the time with an air of sanity.

 _Khaala_ sat and prayed under her breath for the entire hour, while Zeyn paced the long corridor without faltering once. His shoes scuffed the floor with each step he took, and had his nervous energy been expensed in any other way, he would've done so. But with his thoughts forbidding any comfort or hope, he didn't know how else he could possibly keep the looming anguish at bay.

Tony had distanced himself from the others and had spent the last while sifting through security footage from Broken Hill's damaged surveillance cameras. Most of them had either been destroyed or removed from their vantage points, but through some nearby ATM's and corner store recordings, he was able to piece together a bit of a timeline.

"Has everyone left?" Cho asked Tony as she walked out of the lab.

At the sound of her voice, Zeyn, _khaala_ , Sam, Steve, Nat and Bucky hurried in to join Tony and Cho, waiting anxiously for any light she could shed on the situation.

"What's going on? How is she?" asked Zeyn with no small amount of urgency.

Dr Cho spoke calmly, "I think it would be best if I could speak with Miriya's family first." When no one moved, she clarified awkwardly, "Her…biological family."

Taking the hint, Tony, Steve, Nat and Sam began walking towards the corridor to leave, but Zeyn grabbed Bucky's shoulder before he could budge. He said quietly, "Stay."

Grateful in a way that couldn't be expressed, Bucky nodded and stood side by side with Mia's brother and her aunt. When the last of their friends had left the room, Dr Cho began with a failingly steady voice.

"I should begin by saying that she's breathing, but only just." No one knew whether to be relieved or infinitely more concerned, as she continued, "My work primarily deals with salvageable wounds. And in the past, my methods have been confined to injuries that bore no risk of fatalities. But Miriya's case…is not so simple."

She tried to speak as plainly as she could. "The bullet pierced her aorta, and if untreated, that wound can lead to death within minutes. Now, we've been able to stabilise her blood loss and refuel her supply, but the only viable treatment we can offer her will require complete cessation of external support."

"Doctor," said _khaala_ worriedly, "Please, what is it that you're trying to tell us?"

She cleared her throat. "We want Miriya to undergo a corrective procedure in an incubation unit called 'The Cradle'. Its function is replicating organic tissue and redistributing it within the area of the wound. But I must tell you that the technology is still in its trial stages, and in the dozens of procedures I've conducted, none have ever included regenerating arterial matter."

"So," began Zeyn, "Theoretically, this could keep her aorta from failing completely?"

"Theoretically," she nodded.

Bucky's thoughts were scattered, but one spoke louder than any other. "What are her chances of making it if you do this?"

She swallowed, "This is unchartered territory for me and my team, I cannot say for certain, but…" she guessed, "It wouldn't be higher than 12%."

Each person's brief taste of hope faltered in an instant, and they scrambled to find another way they could make this work. "What about a transplant? Can't she just get a transplant?" asked Zeyn desperately. "If you need a donor, I'm all in, we're the same blood type. I can do this."

She shook her head apologetically. "It's not as simple as replacing an artery, her aorta's been weakened to the point of idle function. But even then, if we deprive her body of it for even a few too many seconds, she won't make it past a minute." She made herself painfully clear, "My team and I've spent the last hour considering every option at our disposal, and I'm afraid the Cradle is the only one with even a remote chance of success." She eyed each of them earnestly, "I need your consent to go ahead with it, but she's running out of time."

Neither Zeyn nor _khaala_ could steady their nerves for long enough to think objectively, but Bucky knew that there wasn't much else that could be done. Without another moment wasted, he said decidedly, "Do it."

Zeyn and _khaala_ turned to him, and felt a sudden calm as he uttered those words. This was right. This was necessary. And frankly, it was the only shot they had at taking their Mia home.

Cho nodded once and returned to the lab, leaving the three of them to consider their assent. _12% chance of survival_. It was hardly reassuring, but the alternative was even less so. All they could do was have faith that she'd be taken care of, that she was in capable hands. Beyond that, it was for _kismet_ to decide.

* * *

" _Ya binti_ ," cried _khaala_ as she watched on with horror at the footage JARVIS was able to collect from the attack.

It turned out that the corner of one of the alleyways had a recently installed security camera at its peak, which provided them with some context of the attack. The footage began with the scream that'd attracted Mia's attention in the first place, though they couldn't see the woman whose lips it left, nor the man who was responsible for it. Moments later, they saw Mia inching her way to the corner, leaving her bag on the ground and carrying a small knife in hand, before disappearing into the alley. Each person's blood curled at the sound of another deafening scream from the unknown woman, but it wasn't long before there were other shrieks added to the mix.

A loud yell from a man sounded, and seconds later, they heard a very different scream from the person they suspected was helping him. Somewhere amidst the commotion, Mia's voice was heard speaking frantically to the woman in English then Arabic, before she was interrupted by a metallic _bang_ that silenced her.

A few moments of quiet went by before another manly scream was heard, and it was then that they finally saw the emergence of the woman from the alley. She stumbled haphazardly across the pavement and tried to steady herself against the bricks, when she noticed that Mia's bag was sitting on the floor. Upon hearing Mia's violent cries from within the alley, she grabbed her bag and ran out of the lane with an unimaginable haste, not looking back even once.

The next person to leave the alley was the slim man, and the entire team watched on as he hobbled his way towards the main road. When he disappeared, their ears were met with the screams of Mia and the remaining man, sounding interchangeably and striking rage into every heart that heard it.

That was their girl, their own Mia, being slain as they spoke. It was perhaps the most surreal experience to hear her cries without seeing her face, only staring at the unmoving pavement of an alleyway. But their imagination filled in all the blanks that visuals would not, and it was infinitely worse than having the evidence in front of them. In each of their minds, they were involuntarily imagining how the man was harming a girl they loved so earnestly, and none of them had been there to protect her.

Eventually, however, her cries came to an end and they heard the man shriek in pain before falling _hard_ onto the concrete. It was quiet for a solid minute, and not a single person took their eyes off of the screen. But when the slim man returned with a pistol in hand and his face rattled with indecision, every person knew what would happen next.

She was shot twice, and she didn't make a sound when either of the bullets pierced her skin. They heard her body fall, and watched as the assailant went in to retrieve his friend, carrying him over his shoulder and helping him hurtle his way back out of the alley. It was a numbing sight to see, and it wasn't until 3 minutes later that Bucky appeared in the feed, hurrying towards Mia with all the fears of a man on the verge of losing everything.

It was then that Tony switched the feed to that from a nearby corner store's front camera. It showed clear footage of the woman from the alley sifting frantically through Mia's bag. Even from that angle, the horrible lesions on the woman's face were visible, and it was clear that she was having a hard time finding anything she was hoping for in her saviour's purse.

She finally came across Mia's phone, only to find it dead and incapable of calling for help. Instead, her hand felt through the pockets of the bag and finally struck a small beeper-like black button, which she took out and clicked repeatedly in a vain attempt of alerting someone. Not a person in the room save for Nat, Tony and Steve knew what the button's purpose was, but upon seeing how it'd been used by the woman Mia had helped, everything began to make a lot more sense.

"That's how you knew," realised Steve as he looked at Tony.

"What was it?" asked Sam.

"It's a homing beacon, a kind of distress signal," replied Nat. "I gave it to Mia a few months ago, but I didn't think she'd ever need it."

Zeyn asked Tony in confusion, "That's how you knew where she was?"

Tony nodded once, and everyone in the room fell quiet as they thought along the same lines;

What would've happened if the woman hadn't pressed that button?

The clock had struck 10:00 when one of Cho's assistants came to tell the crew that Mia would be in the makeshift operating theatre for at least another 8 hours. Without a moment's thought, Tony told the occupants of the level that they were all welcome to spend the night in one of the many empty suites within the Tower. _Khaala_ , whose nerves had endured a battering and a half within the last few hours, reluctantly accepted Zeyn's insistence that she get some rest, and begged to be woken if they were to hear any further news during the night.

Steve and Nat returned to the safe house to bring some of their essentials, and Sam took the time to gather his thoughts in the numbing roar of New York City. It wasn't long before only Zeyn, Bucky and Tony remained on the laboratory level, each taking the night's proceedings in a starkly different manner.

Zeyn had sought refuge on the sprawling balcony, his appetite lost and his thoughts preoccupied more than they'd been all evening. But the summer's night brought with it a cool breeze that worked as a balm to his senses, and if there was anything he wanted desperately in that moment, it was to feel numb.

"It's something, isn't it?" Zeyn asked Bucky as he heard him open the balcony door, staring at the lucid sky above them.

He slid the glass partition shut before walking to join Zeyn on the tiled floor. "It's beautiful." He chanced a look at his friend. "I'm sorry you had to see that," he said, referring to the footage.

Zeyn shook his head, his eyes set on the moon hidden behind dark clouds. "S'not like it was any easier for you." With his head lulled back on the cold brick wall, he paused. "We fucked up, Jesus. We really fucked up."

The two men sat wordlessly for minutes on end, and regardless of the languages they had at their disposal, they couldn't think of words that might do to suffice what they felt.

"Have you ever seen her back?" asked Zeyn quietly. When Bucky looked at him in confusion, he clarified, "Mia's back, just above her hip." Bucky nodded, to which he asked, "So you've seen her scars, then?" He paused, "She ever tell you how she got 'em?"

He shook his head. "She always put it off, told me it was a sad story for another day."

Zeyn swallowed, and could practically hear his sister say those words. "She was never supposed to be there."

He took a deep breath before he recounted a memory that he'd buried, long, long ago. It's the sort of memory one hopes to part with, and every consequence attached to it. But as one of his deepest regrets, it was impossible for Zeyn to be rid of it, try as he may. And though his relationship with Bucky had mostly been one of enjoyment and happiness, there wasn't a person in his life who he felt he could trust more than him, with something so grave as this.

"I was 13 when things started getting bad," he started. "We still had our schools and cafes, most of our freedoms, but there was a…shift in the way people were starting to behave, and as a kid…all you wanna do is be a part of something that matters." He swallowed, "Some of us started targeting the militia that'd stationed themselves in the city. We'd slash their tyres, cut their phone lines, kids stuff, y'know."

Bucky listened closely to the details, and imagined the Syria that Zeyn spoke of, one that still had the promise of a hopeful rebellion.

"I remember it was a Monday. Me and my friends planned this organised attack on their radios," he said with a weak smile. "One of the boys would cause a distraction, and the rest of us'd go into their little compounds, grab all the radios we could find, and smash 'em in behind the markets. We thought it was foolproof. But we didn't know that these soldiers, these…fucking savages, they were no fools."

His eyes grew shiny as he recalled the string of moments that'd escaped him for so long. "Mia being Mia, wouldn't let me go unless I took her with me. Promised she'd listen to everything I said, would even be the distraction if we'd let her." He spoke regretfully, "So, I said yes. And everything was fine until one of the soldiers saw a kid running behind their quarters, and after that…everything went to shit."

He fell quiet for a minute, and Bucky made no effort to prompt his continuance. It was clear that he hadn't unpacked that scene in years, and knowing too well of the difficulty that came with revisiting a memory, his patience seemed necessary.

"One of the soldiers grabbed her first, and then the others found the rest of us. They were on their usual bullshit, waving guns in our faces and takin' out their whips. But that was what we signed up for. We wanted a reaction from 'em, wanted to feel like we could do something that'd made a difference." He shook his head, "But none of that mattered when their commander got near Mia."

Bucky's breathing grew quicker as his mind unwittingly travelled to the darkest of places, waiting anxiously to hear what had become of his girl all those years ago.

"He pushed her to the floor and took out his whip, this long, double-strapped one." He spoke brokenly, "It, uh, it had two blades hidden in the folds of the leather. Never seen anything like it. And before I could stop him, he'd slashed her with it, clean across her back."

Bucky's heart dropped, a too-clear image forming in his head as to how it'd taken place. He pictured a young Mia, lying with her face covered in red soil, the colour of her shirt completely dampened by the blood that spilled from her wounds. And inevitably, his mind traced back to the state she'd been in just a few hours earlier, again overpowered by the most cowardly of men. History, much as he hated to admit, had a knack for repeating itself.

"I froze. All that smack I'd talked, none of it mattered when push came to shove. It wasn't 'til they started laughing that I understood what'd happened, and I jumped at the fucking bastard." He lifted his right sleeve slightly to reveal a faded scar, "His junior grazed me with a shot before I could do any damage of my own, and I was out." He shook his head and laughed humourlessly, " _lm 'atamakan min 'iinqadhiha baed dhlk, la 'astatie ainiqadhaha alan_."

' _Couldn't save her then, can't save her now.'_

They both fell silent as their thoughts, once again, grew unsettled. Bucky's first offer of reason was, "You didn't know."

"That's not an excuse, and you know that." Zeyn looked over at his friend, "The guilt's eating at you just the same, Jesus. I see it."

Bucky clenched his jaw nervously, but his true thoughts voiced themselves. "She was waiting for me. All I had to do was be there, and I wasn't."

Zeyn didn't bother to soothe his grievances, because frankly, neither one of them were in the state to do so. But it was a strange comfort to know that they weren't alone in their anguish, nor their regret. "I'm scared, man." He let out a shaky breath. "I don't…I don't know if we can get her back."

Bucky's heart dropped at the thought, his morale battered and bruised. But he spoke his own truths in a quiet voice, "We have to." He swallowed, "This can't be it."

"What if it is?" he asked with a fearful haste. "What if she doesn't have more time?"

Bucky's answer was simple. "Then we got what our past warrants us." He paused, "Exactly what I deserve."

Zeyn turned his face to Bucky. "See, that's where you're wrong. I think she saw somethin' more than your past in you, and it doesn't have to be your shadow for the rest of your life."

"It'll follow me everywhere," he said resignedly. "There's no escape from it."

"Of course there is," Zeyn said quietly. "You're just not running from it fast enough." Bucky turned his head towards him slightly. "And the longer you keep thinking things like this deserve to happen to you, the harder it'll be for you to live for the good stuff, Jesus."

Safe to say that Bucky had never considered it in that way before, but it became clear that it was something Zeyn might've previously given thought to. They remained quiet until Zeyn felt the need to speak all that he thought.

"I'm proud of her, though," he murmured. "Seeing that tape, what she did…" he shook his head. "I know she'd do it again if she had to. And I think that makes her selfish," he said honestly, "'Cos she doesn't think about the people she's leaving behind." His eyes failed to keep the tears they'd contained so far, "But I wouldn't change her, though. Not a bit." He buried his head in his hands and whispered shakily, "Please come back, kid. Please come home."

* * *

After another hour seated in the same spot, Zeyn got up and tapped Bucky's shoulder before re-entering the lab, wanting to make sure that _khaala_ 's already unpredictable blood pressure hadn't spiralled out of control in the time she'd spent alone with herself.

Bucky stayed on the balcony for what seemed like the entire night. His eyes looked at every point of focus without really seeing anything, the noise in his head drowning out every other sense. Flooded with the promises he'd made her of safety and escape and happiness, Bucky couldn't understand how everything had been stolen from his grasp within a matter of hours.

But it'd happened, and his regret at not arriving to pick her up only festered as the minutes rolled on without any idea of how she was fairing. He thought of all the ways he could've done things differently, and its burden grew evident on his face. His eyes looked hollow, and all colour was ridden from his face, and as the moments clocked on, his spirit grew more and more conquered.

But the unsettling silence was disturbed when Tony slid the door open and made his way out to the balcony. Still unused to seeing him in person, Bucky's reaction was automatically one of apprehension, but upon noting Tony's relative unguardedness, his reluctance softened.

"Cho says it'll be another 5 hours," Tony relayed. "She won't know whether her body's accepted the graft 'til after the procedure."

Bucky took a moment to comprehend what that meant, before nodding slightly. "Okay."

Tony shifted anxiously in his spot, severely unused to this kind of situation. "You should get some shuteye so you'll be there when she wakes up," he said straightforwardly.

Bucky fell a little dumbstruck by his confidence in her recovery. Nevertheless, he shook his head. "I can't sleep."

"They'll get you if anything happens," he assured him.

"No, I…I can't sleep," he repeated quietly, unsure of how else he could say that after years of incurring cavernous brain trauma, a luxury such as sleep didn't come so easily in times of distress.

Having mildly expected something of the sort, Tony took out a clear prescription bottle from his pocket and tossed it to Bucky, unannounced. "It should help."

Bucky looked at the tablets enclosed within it and replied quietly, "They won't work."

"They were cooked up for Banner when he turned," he said. "Weren't potent enough for him, but they could knock out a rhino for two days. And they've worked for Rogers before."

Bucky turned over the bottle in his hand a few times, and could no longer resist the urge to voice a troubling thought. "Why are you doing this?" He swallowed and asked in a smaller voice, "Why are you helping us?"

Tony's discomfort at such a question was plain to see, but he recovered in a clean stride. "One tablet should be enough. JARVIS'll take you to your room."

And just as swiftly, Tony left the balcony to return to his haven, leaving Bucky with his question unanswered. There was so much that didn't make sense, and even more that he couldn't understand. But in that moment, his longing for a reprieve from the noise in his head outweighed every other concern. The bottle sat innocently within his grasp, and after much internal struggle, he finally succumbed to its call to _silence._

* * *

 _ **6 hours later**_

The sun peaked shyly in the sky as one of Cho's assistants frantically called her to come to the lab. Having had only an hour of sleep, she hurried in without any real understanding of what was going on. Her assistant fetched her glasses for her, and another brought forward a holographic pad that tracked the Cradle's work. She barely skimmed it before turning to look at the screen above Mia's bed, displaying something that not a single person on that level could've predicted;

A steady, unassisted heartbeat.

"She's alive."

* * *

 **Notes: GUYYYYYYSSSSSSSSSS OH MY GOD, I hope you're all doing well! I just wanted to say the ABSOLUTE BIGGEST THANK YOU IN THE WORLD for the kind words on the last chapter, and I'm so sorry that I took so long to update, but I wanted to get it right. Seriously, I was so overwhelmed by your comments and your love for this character, and I'm so infinitely happy that she resonates with you guys.**

 **Hope you enjoy this and please, please, please stay safe. Much love,**

 **\- M**


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes: GUYS I'm complete trash and I'm so sorry for the time it's taken to update but I've been overseas and we had NO INTERNET AT ALL, so I'm posting this now instead of the usual time. YOU'RE ALL THE BEST, HAVE AN INCREDIBLE WEEK, EAT YOUR VEGGIES! Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 34

He'd been here before, in the very same spot, actually. But his mind wouldn't hint as to where he was. All he could rely on was what lay in front of him, along with the feeling such a sight rattled in his heart.

And it was certainly something.

Bucky walked across the path of a well-kept lawn, and stepped onto the veranda of a white-bricked house. An urge told him to twist the shiny handle, and as his feet crossed the carpeted threshold, he looked around in quiet puzzlement to recognise where he'd arrived.

He vaguely heard the sound of a TV humming from beyond the walls as he inspected where he currently stood. It was a living room, one with toys scattered across the floor and drapes rustling from the open window. The sun was pouring in, bright and not the least bit shy, drenching the room in a haze that confused him further.

His steps towards the clattering he heard were slower still, and at this point, there wasn't a part of him that suspected he was dreaming. Before he knew it, a quiet humming began to sound from what he thought to be the kitchen, and even in his perplexity, he could've recognised that voice anywhere.

"Ah, there you are," said Mia as she appeared through the archway. "Took you long enough," she smiled before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Bucky's heart dropped at the sound of her voice, and when he drew closer to make sure she really was there, every fibre of his being quaked with relief.

"Mia?" he asked quietly.

She was wearing a simple Syrian dress, riddled with flour, and had her hair secured behind her neck with a ribbon. There was food on the table and chilled water beside each plate, of which there were 5. He couldn't understand what was happening, or how'd he'd gotten there. But none of that mattered, because his eyes drifted to match hers, and the smile he was met with made everything else seem utterly insignificant.

"I know you said you didn't like the cauliflower that much last week, but Elias won't eat it unless you eat it, and he's down to 1 vegetable a fortnight as it is," said Mia as she brought another dish to the table. Having not noticed his current state of astonishment, it wasn't until Mia looked up at him from the kitchen counter that she realised something wasn't quite right.

"What's wrong?" she asked with her widened baby browns.

Bucky mumbled, "You're alive."

A confused smile spread on her lips. "Well…sure, I'm alive." She paused, "Is that a surprise?"

Bucky disregarded her words and began walking towards her, a hand outreached to touch her, to be sure that she was real. He grazed her cheek with his thumb and said disbelievingly, "I don't understand." He shook his head, "You were dead."

Mia brought his hand down and said surely, "I don't really know what's going on, but I think you need a glass of water."

Bucky steadied his nerves as he looked at their surroundings. "Where are we?"

She asked with a grin, "Don't you know? _Nahn al watan, Halab._ "

 _We're home, Aleppo._

Bucky furrowed his brows, "Aleppo? How?"

"We've been here for years, Buck." She tried to remind him tenderly, "You, me, the kids—"

"Kids?" he asked, the very air stolen from his lungs.

She nodded with a small smile, " _'Abnayina_ , _qalbi_." She glanced at the clock behind his head, "They should be home soon. They left the living room a mess again," she said chidingly.

"I saw you die," he whispered, "Don't you remember?"

Mia's face fell as he spoke, and it was as though someone had reminded her of a long-forgotten memory. She looked distantly at the ground, and her breathing grew unsteady as the moment crept on. Her hand was still in his, and he watched her with a pleading look, begging to understand what could've possibly happened.

"I remember." She looked at him, her eyes now shining. "How could I forget?"

He swallowed and took comfort in her touch, only to be stripped of it as she walked away without a word.

Bucky followed her out of the kitchen, with each thought growing louder and more confused than the last. In his quest to understand what was happening, he failed to realise that the sky had completely darkened beyond the windows, and the moment he stepped into the living room, the entire setting of his reverie changed.

They were now perched atop a steep hill, overlooking acres of wild lavenders as the sun set before them. Mia was now in a plain white dress, her hair out and feathered by the light breeze. She looked over her shoulder to see him, every feature of her at peace.

"Why do you always bring me here in your dreams?" she asked with a small smile.

Bucky barely had the presence of mind to answer, still trying to understand how he'd travelled from the plains of Aleppo to a lavender field Upstate. But it wasn't long before his attention refocused solely on her.

"I don't know," he said truthfully. "I loved this place when I was a kid."

Mia nodded understandingly, her eyes set on the unreachable horizon. "It's beautiful."

He turned to face her. "What are we doing here?"

She laughed, and it worked like a balm to his nerves. "It's your dream, Barnes. I'm just here for the view."

He relaxed into the tall grass and felt himself grow calmer as the minutes dragged on. "That house we were in, I've seen it before."

Mia nodded, "From the outside, it was my place in Aleppo. We went to it, remember?" He nodded in recollection, "And the inside was your house in Brooklyn." She smiled, "I loved it."

Bucky knew both those facts to be true, and kept it stored away for the future. But after a moment went by, he asked, almost childishly, "Do we really have a family?"

She looked at him lovingly. "You want it, more than anything. But no, we don't."

"They're not real?"

She replied with a sad smile, "None of this is, sweetheart."

He met her eyes and shook his head. "You left me. Why did you do that?"

Her face grew solemn, and her eyes fell downcast. "I had no choice."

"Of course you had a choice," he replied. "You should've called for help and ran. You should've pulled through," he reasoned. "You didn't have to stay."

She smiled regretfully. "Who would I be if I'd left?" She paused, "That woman needed me."

"So did I," he said pleadingly. "Doesn't that count for something?"

"It counts for everything," she assured him. "But I had to do it."

He swallowed, and confessed, as one often does in dreams, without any control of his tongue, "I wish you hadn't."

He expected anger from her, but she simply looked at him glassily, as if he were utterly transparent. "Would you have been proud? If I'd never helped her, if I'd just walked away."

He took his time to reply, but eventually resolved to the truth. "No."

She nodded softly. "Then there you have it."

Bucky resumed in a quiet voice, "They miss you, Mia. Your brother, _khaala_." He said defeatedly, "You've gotta come home."

"It's not that easy," she said, sadness plaguing her features. "I'm not strong enough."

"Don't say that," he pled. "You know you are."

"Maybe here, but not out there," she said, pointing to the vast landscape before them. "Not in the real world. There I'm…I'm dying, Buck."

"You don't have to. We can save you, they're doing everything they can," he said with urgency.

"It won't be enough," she said sorrily.

"Why are you saying that?" he said as he brought a hand to the side of her face, desperately trying to cling to her as a thunderous beating began to sound in the distance.

"Y'know, I thought we'd grow old together," she said through a teary smile. "Can you believe that?"

"We can. We will," he said hurriedly, a frantic nervousness disrupting his train of thought as threatening clouds began to roll in.

She shook her head. "It's just fairytales, Buck."

"It's not—Mia," he called out, and before he knew it, she'd been stolen from his clasp, disappeared into thin air. The sea of lavender had become a barren, clay-cracked plain darkened by harsh droplets falling from the sky. A few landed on his hand, and as he brought it to his face, the clear water drop oozed a red dye, one that covered his body within moments, until his arms were stained red. He tried shaking it from his person, tried calling for help but felt his voice muted.

And before he could run for refuge, everything turned to black.

"—esus, wake up!" Zeyn said hysterically. "It's Mia, she's—she's breathing."

* * *

"What does this mean?" was the first question that _khaala_ posed to Dr Cho, with Zeyn and Bucky at her side in the early hours of the morning.

"I can't say for certain," began Helen, "but it gives us reason to believe that her body is accepting the graft. Her breathing has stabilised without the support of a ventilator, and the tissue surrounding her wound seems to be healing at a steady pace." She spoke cautiously, "However, I'm obliged to tell you that this doesn't necessarily mean she's safe from complications. Her vitals haven't normalised nearly as much as we'd hoped, and her immunity's weakened to a critical level. I'm sorry, but she isn't clear yet."

Mia's three family members stood in a mix of relief and despair, processing all that had been told to them. Their morning had begun with JARVIS alerting them in their respective rooms that Dr Cho wished to see them, and their conversation thus ensued. Tony's sleeping tablet had worked all too well for Bucky, as he somehow managed 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep before awaking on the lab's uncomfortable couch by Zeyn's booming voice.

But he'd dreamt so vividly, in a way that was most unusual to him, and it took him longer still to comprehend whether or not this was a part of his elaborate hallucination. But when the three of them left Banner's lab and re-entered the main room, he felt the gravity of Dr Cho's words begin to sink in.

She was breathing. The idea of her body fighting so valiantly to keep her alive sent anxious jitters through his stomach, and it wasn't something he took lightly. The others were just as shaken by the development, and it didn't take long for quiet anticipation to tarnish the walls of despair.

"What happened? What'd she say?" asked Sam, who'd only just arrived at the Tower, suited up for their mission.

"She said Mia's breathing without life support," replied Zeyn. "She thinks it's a sign that she's accepted the graft, but we can't be too sure yet. It's not concrete, but…it's something."

And the hushed look of relief that everyone shared couldn't be hidden, because warned as they were against it, hope had crept in and latched itself to every heart. There was a possibility that she'd survive this, small and breakable as it was. But it was more than they'd had yesterday, and greater than what it could've been had Tony not showed up when he did.

And they breathed a little easier for it.

As Nat and Steve entered the room, Sam briefly repeated what he'd been told and watched as their faces relaxed minutely. Steve's eyes were set on Bucky, and it didn't seem right that he'd be leaving at a time when his friend was in such a rattled state.

"You're going?" asked Bucky.

Steve nodded. "We'll be back before midnight, but the shipment left Bali for Joberg half an hour ago." He shook his head, "We've gotta stop it."

He nodded understandingly, and couldn't help feeling a sliver of guilt at abandoning his team. "I'm sorry I can't help."

"Don't be," replied Nat seriously. "Mia's gonna need you here when she wakes up." Bucky appreciated her confidence, and smiled tiredly when she said, "Besides, you'd only slow us down."

"I second that," said Sam good-naturedly.

"Keep us posted," said Steve, before turning to _khaala_ and saying, "Get some rest, ma'am. We'll see you soon."

She nodded, a thought entering her mind that she hadn't considered so far. "I don't know your name, son."

Steve smiled at how refreshing it felt to be unrecognised. "Steven."

She nodded and watched as the three soldiers left the room, wearing strange uniforms and carrying formal-looking bags. Completely oblivious to their actual identities, _khaala_ turned to Zeyn and remarked, "He's a nice boy."

Not believing that his aunt just referred to _Captain America_ as a 'nice boy', Zeyn simply nodded. "I know, _khaala_."

* * *

"—and 3 boxes of garlic prawn noodles. Maybe just put the peanut sauce on the side, I'm not sure whether we have an allergy situation. Okay, thanks Henry. Bye."

The woman whose voice Zeyn and Bucky were hearing for the first time belonged to the CEO of Stark Industries and long-time partner-in-crime of Tony Stark. But in their naivety, they knew her to be neither of those things, and couldn't quite understand why there was a stranger helping herself entry into the sacred lab.

"I hope you like Chinese food," was the first thing she said, all smiles and perfectly tamed strawberry blonde hair. "But if you don't, there's a hot dog stand 30 seconds from the ground lobby, so feel free to tell Vinnie to put it on our tab."

Zeyn and Bucky shared a confused look between themselves, before turning back to Pepper and trying to figure out _who the fuck_ she was.

"I'm sorry, have we met?" asked Zeyn.

"Oh, no! No, we haven't. Wow, I haven't introduced myself," she said as she stepped towards them. "I'm Pepper Potts, I work at the Tower."

They each shook her hand and said their names, still a little unsure as to how a common Stark employee had gained access to such a restricted area, but choosing to run with it regardless.

"God, I'm so sorry to hear about your sister," she said to Zeyn. "Tony told me what happened. It's awful."

He nodded slowly, "Tony, is he your…boss?"

She shook her head, "Not technically."

"Your brother?"

Her face fell. "No, God…no. We—do we look related?"

Zeyn appraised her for a moment before quipping quietly, "Your goatee's a lot weaker than his."

She laughed charmingly, "But other than that, spitting image?" When he smiled tiredly in reply, she continued, "No, he's actually my—"

"The Bert to your Ernie?" asked Tony as he came waltzing in, that inextinguishable air of confidence present as ever. "The Froddo to your Sam?"

"Well, we're not in a homosexual relationship, but I guess that works," she conceded, smiling as he came to join them and taking that as her cue to leave. She turned to Bucky and Zeyn, "I have to get to a meeting, but please don't be strangers. Whatever you need, just let JARVIS know or tell the guards, they'll have you covered." She looked at each of them with unhidden sincerity, "I really hope she pulls through."

"Thank you," replied Bucky, a little disarmed by the unfamiliar woman's kindness. She left Tony with a kiss on the cheek and was out of their midst in moments, leaving the three men standing in the middle of his lab.

"I spoke to Cho," started Tony. "She thinks it'll be a few hours before we see any progression, so there's nothing stopping you from taking a timeout from the ole' 'bedside waiting' party. The Tower's a playground, feel free to…forage."

Zeyn turned to Bucky and said, "I'm gonna go get _khaala_. She could probably use the break."

And with that, Bucky and Tony were left alone, standing awkwardly at a distance from one another. Tony made his way to the nearby computer spread, and fiddled about with it to ease some of the unspoken tension.

"How'd you sleep?" he asked conversationally.

Bucky looked at him, his demeanour withdrawn. "Okay."

"Knocked you out, didn't it? Cap was dead turkey for 13 hours after a botched op in Rwanda. Worked wonders, it did."

Bucky noted quietly, "He usually doesn't sleep well."

"You'd know all that by now. How long've you been staying with him? Couple'a months?" Tony asked curiously.

Bucky felt the plates on his arm begin to shift as his blood pressure spiked inadvertently. "Since SHIELD fell."

Though Tony's hands were steadily tapping away at his various gizmos, his eyes were set on the metal arm that'd made itself heard in the midst of their conversation. "Does it do that a lot?" He pointed to Bucky's arm, "Your…electric mixer?"

… _My…What?_

Bucky looked down at his hand and admitted, "Sometimes."

"I'm guessing it's synced with your nervous system," he said, mostly to himself. "Reacts to heartrate, adjusts with fluctuating blood pressure, the good stuff." When Bucky just stared at him confoundedly, Tony shook himself from his mini-assessment. "You can go, I'll watch this shift."

He shook his head. "I'm staying."

"A bit of fresh air never hurt anyone. Or a shower. Or three showers," he said uncontrollably.

Resisting the urge to smell his shirt at once, Bucky rather said, "I need to be here if she wakes up."

"We'll call you the minute something happens," he said, conveying his full attention to Bucky for the first time that day. "But waiting here isn't gonna help anyone."

Bucky's reluctance to leave Mia's side was firmly set, but even then, he had to admit that Stark made a fair point. The waiting, the uncertainty, it was driving him to madness. There were other ways that he could be helping, ones that'd be much more beneficial than sitting idly until she made a miraculous recovery.

"Here," said Tony, before throwing a pair of keys Bucky's way. As though he'd read his very mind, he said, "Go get her things from her place. She's gonna need them."

Bucky looked at the key dumbly. "What's it for?"

"It's a car key, Tinman," he said boredly.

"…For which one?"

"All of 'em. It's universal. JARVIS'll take you to the garage, take whatever you won't crash," said Tony without looking up. "And don't rush to get back."

Before Bucky could even think about thanking him, Tony hurried out the room and left Bucky with little other choice. He'd leave the confines of the Tower and revel in the optimism the morning had afforded. That day, he decided, would bring better fortune than the previous one had.

And as he would soon find out, he was somewhat right.

* * *

It was peculiar to think that he'd set out with the intention of retrieving Mia's things, and had ended up in Arlington National Cemetery, staring at a headstone engraved with his name.

They'd given him a funeral after all, he supposed. His plot was situated in a picturesque part of the cemetery, just beneath a wallowing oak tree that was probably just as old as he was. The stone had been scratched from bad weather and was chipped at the side, but it was more than he deserved.

He found himself wondering whether people had known there was an empty grave inside, that his body had never been recovered from the fall. He tried to imagine who'd come to his funeral all those lifetimes ago, and whether they'd mourned him. He wondered if his mother had withered away from the anguish of losing her only son, or if Rebecca had finished boarding school after she'd heard of his passing.

Though he was helpless to change it, he regretted the pain they must've felt, the deep void that he'd left them to bear on their own. With resurfaced memories, he could remember being a newly captured Sergeant Barnes, a single-armed POW who hadn't yet been lost to Hydra's torture. He'd wished more than anything to see his family one last time, to say all the things he hadn't said before, or to simply appreciate the silence with them. He would've given anything to have those moments back.

And now, there was yet another addition to the occupants of his heart and mind, one whose life hung in the balance and threatened to leave him just as he'd once left his loved ones; without explanation, and with no promise of return.

But that was different, he reasoned. It was a simpler time, one where people who died remained dead. But now, in this era and surrounded by all the medical advances a desperate man could wish for, Bucky felt as though there was a real chance that she'd see this battle through. His attention lingered on those thoughts for a while, and with a final look at his headstone, he left the cemetery.

It'd been 3 hours since he'd left the Tower, and by the time he'd reached Mia's apartment, it was well into the afternoon. He rode the elevator up in silence, dreading the thought that he'd be in her dwellings while she wasn't there. It didn't feel right. And yet, he told himself it was all for the better.

He picked the lock to her door easily, and walked in without the slightest idea that anyone else would be inside. But when he heard something clatter in the guestroom, every one of his senses slighted to attention.

He drew a small blade from his back pocket and neared the room silently. With a few swift steps, he was ready to unlock the door, only to have it opened from the inside with a familiar face at its handle.

"Bucky—What the fuck?!" gasped Mel as she saw the drawn knife. "It's me, it's Mel! Mel! Hey, don't shoot—Or stab!"

Bucky lowered his knife immediately, breathing out loudly before saying, "Sorry, I…I didn't know you were here."

"Of course I'm here, but where the hell have you guys been?" she asked. "I've been calling Mia since yesterday. And when I couldn't get through to her, I went down to the gym to find Zeyn." She shook her head, "Were you guys having a super secret Barnes-Alfiyan brunch? Is that what it is? You can tell me, I won't be hurt. Okay, maybe a little, but mostly I'll be really happy."

Bucky's word couldn't have said more than his features did, and when Mel didn't get a response, she found herself immersed in a sinking feeling of dread.

"Bucky," she began quietly, "Where's Mia?"

He swallowed, hating the taste of the words that'd leave his lips. "She's in critical condition." He continued softly, "She was shot."

Mel's entire body felt weak as the words settled into the air around them. "Shot?"

He nodded. "Yesterday."

Mel shook her head at once. "No, there has to be some mistake." She walked backwards into her room, running a hand through her hair, "No, there's no way. She was—I just saw her. She went to the _sahra_ , she was fine."

"Mel, sit down—"

"How could—I don't…understand," she said as she leant a hand on the wall. It was a few moments before she'd regained a semblance of composure, and her instincts after years of training for these situations overshadowed her anxiety. "Where was she shot?"

He replied, "The abdomen."

"Where?"

"Aortic valve."

She shook her head, "She would've bled out in minutes. Which hospital did she get to?"

He admitted. "Not a hospital. She's at the Tower."

Her face fell, "You mean…Tony Stark's Tower? Are they treating her?"

He nodded. "They've been working on her since last night. She was on life support 'til this morning."

Besides the uncontrollable urge to vomit, Mel felt a bit lightheaded as she stared at the scuffed floor. How could this have happened in the 24 hours that she hadn't met her friend? Mia had always been separate from Mel's life as a paramedic-in-training. She couldn't picture her lying in a hospital bed with scrubs on and her life dependant on a ventilator. Mia wasn't one of the patients she'd rushed to hospital in her placements, nor was she someone she'd zipped in a body bag on an ambulance ride-along.

Mia didn't belong in that world.

"I came to get her things," Bucky said. "I'll need your help."

She looked up at him, her face awfully pale. "Can I see her?"

He nodded. "'Course."

She took in a deep breath and steadied herself, walking out of the room and into Mia's with renewed courage. She grabbed the first few clothes that she saw, shoved them in a bag and took the keys to their apartment as they left. There weren't too many words exchanged between the two of them on their way back, but it was a comfort to know that they weren't going through it alone.

They stood at the final set of lights before they reached the Tower when Bucky's phone began to ring. He answered his phone with an unpractised haste, "Yeah?"

"Where are you?" asked Zeyn.

"At the lights. We're near the garage."

"Dr's got some news. She'll tell us when you get here. Hurry, man," he said anxiously.

"Alright."

He turned hastily towards the Tower's sprawling garage and parked it once he'd gained access. Mel slung the bag over her shoulder and walked with him to the elevator, not paying mind to where she was and whose garage it belonged to. It was another few moments before they arrived at the lab, and when they were met with the worried faces of _khaala_ and Zeyn, everyone nerves were set alight once more.

Zeyn came to stand next to Bucky as Dr Cho came to join them, an unreadable look on her face. She took off her gloves and pocketed her tablet before looking at Mia's family, ever the bearer of bad news.

"In the last 2 hours, we've been able to run some more extensive tests on Mia, and my team has just brought me the results." She paused, "The good news is that her body seems to be taking well to the graft. We've seen no signs of regression and her immune system is responding at a slow, but promising rate. However," she began, but faltered. "These things are never easy."

"What is it, Doc?" asked Zeyn.

Bucky's heart was about ready to spring from his chest, an unsettling stir of fear forming at the pit of his stomach. Somehow, he knew this wasn't going to be easy.

"One of the bullets lodged in her abdomen had a lead casing. It's become more common in the last few years, and while it isn't lethal, it can corrupt internal tissue to the point of irreparable damage within minutes."

"Does this mean she has been infected?" asked _khaala_.

"Not exactly," she said. "But she's had an unprecedented level of lead exposure to the uterus, and we weren't able to reverse its effects." She continued regretfully, "I'm afraid the damage is permanent."

Zeyn's voice broke as he repeated, "Permanent?"

Cho nodded, and turned her head towards Bucky as she spoke.

"I'm sorry," she paused, "But she will not be capable of bearing a child."

X


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes: HEY HI HEY HI HEYYYYY. Guyyyyssss I hope y'all have been well. I saw Infinity War this week, and I'm pretty sure most of you did too. All I can say is if you haven't seen it, please enjoy your last little while of emotional sanity, and if you have, then I'm sorry that you're in therapy with myself and the rest of the fandom :')))))) Again, kinda small chapter this week but hopefully it won't be too much longer before I start updating normally again. Your guys' patience is never taken for granted, and thanks a million for sticking around.**

 **All the love in the world to you,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 35

"There has to be some mistake."

It felt like he was saying that a lot lately. Though it'd only been 35 odd hours since Mia was admitted to intensive care, the time had spanned to feel like an age. Bucky found himself in a cold stairwell, eyes fixed on the chipped wall, with each second weighted by the unknown. He didn't feel like himself, having to watch wordlessly on the sidelines. It felt anatomically wrong that he should be so incapable of helping her.

And yet, there was no changing it. Mia's body lay idle in an incubation unit, with Lord knows what coursing through her veins. Her blood pressure still hadn't stabilised, and the wounds were taking longer than anticipated to fully accept the graft.

But horrid as all that was, his thoughts grew unwittingly clouded by what he'd been told only hours before. _Incapable of bearing a child_. My, how those words dizzied him, and what hopelessness they confounded in her family. Grandchildren were something he knew _khaala_ wanted, and Zeyn's heart sunk at the idea of being uncle to no one.

And when he thought of the dream that'd accompanied his sleep the night before, Bucky's skin grew cold. He'd been a father then, a guardian to three children. They'd had a home, with Mia at its helm. She'd made dinner, and there'd been toys strewn on the floor, finger paintings hung on the fridge. In hindsight, it'd seemed like a promise of Paradise.

And though he wouldn't dare admit it, the idea that it mightn't ever happen struck him violently. Somewhere, hidden among the lost hopes of what his life could've been, having a child was at its forefront. And while he hadn't had much promise of what his future would be before, it seemed all the more distant now. And that was a feeling unrivalled by any other.

But if there was one person to whom their heartaches paled in comparison, it was the woman laying on a bed a few rooms away from him. And his heart grew rampant at what Mia would feel when she woke up.

 _If_ she woke up…

He shook his head the moment such a vile thought entered it, as though that would strike it away. The sun had only just risen, and he needed to be clear from the confines of 4 grey walls. Without another thought, Bucky headed to the helipad that sat only a few floors above him. As soon as he'd climbed the flights of stairs, he flung the door open and took refuge in the chill of an early morning.

New York looked entirely different from his vantage point. Its imperfections and flaws were neatly tucked away in parts of the city you'd never see from such a height. She stood proud with skyscrapers and glass windows all around her, a sight to see with the Sun to her left. As a city, she held promise. There were workers bustling the streets and cleaners tidying around hotels. He saw holy men setting up their preaching stands on opposite sides of the pavement, and young kids dribbling a basketball down the sidewalk.

There was life all around him. And strange as it was, he saw the human spirit in those streets, the same spirit he'd seen in NY when he was just a kid. These people hailed from every corner of Earth, and had survived unspeakable realities. But they were still here, walking a broken city without a fear holding them back.

And if they could survive, then so could she.

"I was looking for you, man," said Zeyn's voice from behind Bucky. "Should've known you'd be on a creepy rooftop."

Bucky looked back and sent a small smile his friend's way. "Haven't been here long."

He joined Bucky at the edge of the helipad, sharing the same view. "I never used to get the hype about this place. But now that I'm here…" he paused, "I see it." Bucky stayed quiet, his thoughts a little scattered until Zeyn brought him back. "Mia's into this sorta thing, sunrises and all." He said quietly, mostly to himself, "She would've loved this."

Bucky replied unthinkingly. "She'll see it."

Zeyn's surprise was masked well behind what he said next. "I'm sorry about what Cho said. I don't know if you guys ever talked about, y'know, kids or a family or anything, but…doesn't make it any easier."

Bucky shook his head. "We hadn't." He paused, "Something we both wanted, though."

Zeyn asked with a quiet determination, "But there are other ways to do things nowadays. What did Cho say about surrogacy or implanting?"

Bucky shook his head, because every possible question that he could've posed had already been answered by Cho's head technician. "Too much damage. It's not possible," he replied. A tired sigh left his lips as he confessed, "But none of that matters, not until we get her back."

A small smile curled on Zeyn's lips, a result of the quiet optimism unhidden in Bucky's voice. "Knowing Mia, she'll make us wait."

Bucky turned to his friend and replied truthfully, "Whatever it takes."

The two men stood quietly for a few moments, but no sooner were they interrupted by JARVIS' voice booming through the speakers on the helipad.

"Sergeant Barnes and Mr Alfiyan," he began, "Dr Cho is requesting your immediate presence in Dr Banner's laboratory. She wishes to inform you that Miss Alfiyan is awake."

* * *

"—ia? Miriya? Miss Alfiyan, can you hear me?"

For a moment or two, every one of Mia's internal responses completely disregarded the badgering voice of a lady shining a torch in her eyes. But when a few moments went by and the light grew _annoyingly_ blinding, she couldn't keep herself from blinking a few too many times.

And she instantly regretted it.

"Owh…oh…ah," groaned Mia, an incomprehensible reply to the woman asking 'can you hear me?' for the 47th time.

"Mia, my name's Lauren. I'm here to help you. Now, can you please lift your right index finger if you can hear me," said Dr Cho's head nurse.

Why she was so utterly _exhausted_ , Mia didn't know. All she knew was that it took her _a lot_ of energy to lift her index finger, and even more to try opening her leaded eyes.

"Mmm…Nhmm…"

"She's responding. Jason, administer the adrenaline. JARVIS, call her family," instructed Dr Cho as she watched from beyond the glass door.

"Mia, I want you to try and open your eyes, okay? You're gonna feel a little drowsy at first, but that's just the painkillers taking effect. Slowly, now."

"Grhh…rhmm…" she mumbled disorientedly.

"It's okay, I don't want you to say anything. Your lungs aren't fully healed yet, so we'll keep the talking to a minimum. But can you try opening your eyes for me?" Lauren asked kindly.

By this point, Mia could make out about 87% of what the nice lady was saying, and with her direction in mind, she quit her stammering and began to blink slowly. Whichever room she was in, they'd mercifully dimmed the lights to a bare minimum, making it a lot easier for her eyes to acclimate. She kept blinking drowsily until she could keep them open unassisted, at which point, she was met with a warm, but unfamiliar face.

Lauren smiled encouragingly. "How does that feel? One tap with your finger for good, two taps for bad."

Mia's utterly scrambled thoughts failed to register the command, apparently too busy trying to figure out which room of her apartment she was in. But when it occurred to her that she'd never once purchased a hospital bed, nor brought one into her house, it became a little clearer that she wasn't in D.C.

"Mia? You doing okay?" asked Lauren.

She was about to speak when she remembered an apparent ban on such a thing. Instead, she brought a slow hand to her lips and mouthed 'water'.

"Water, of course, just a second," she said, before producing a glass and straw for her to drink from.

A few things were still unclear to Mia, the first of which being why she was wearing the most hideous pair of hospital scrubs she'd ever laid eyes on in a strange room. It wasn't long before her questions drifted to more important things, or rather, _people_. But thankfully, their absence wasn't needlessly extended.

The door flung open to reveal two new faces, and it wasn't possible to say who was more grateful to see who.

" _Ya Ilahi_ ," said _khaala_ through streaming tears. "Miriya."

Mia's lips curled into a smile at the sight of her aunt, followed by her dearest friend. "Oh, God," said Mel. "Jesus Christ, Mia."

 _Khaala_ dropped to the side of Mia's bed and brought a hand to her cheek, no words but prayers leaving her lips. Mel held Mia's hand tightly, wanting desperately to hug her but knowing better than to prod her fragile body. Mia looked between the two of them and felt her nerves give way respite. She wasn't sure of what'd happened, or why she was where she was. But she was held by the closest women in her life, and that was reason enough to suspend thought for a moment.

In the minutes that followed, _khaala_ wiped gracefully at her tears and kept Dr Cho's advice in mind. Mel and herself had been instructed not to mention the accident at all for the time being, or anything that would bring her further alarm. Though she was awake, it was likely that memory of her time in the alley wouldn't resurface for a few hours, possibly days. And meddling with her body's natural rehabilitation mechanisms would only complicate what was already difficult.

Mel helped her drink some more water, while Lauren explained the buttons around her. If she felt pain anywhere in her abdomen, a steady stream of morphine would enter her system at the press of a button. If she felt cold, the bed's heating circuit would function at the flick of a switch.

And if she wanted some chilli cheese fries, a call could be placed to the nearest food stand at the wave of a hand.

Still in a somewhat drowsy state, Mia barely noticed that the door had once again opened at the hands of two men. But when _khaala_ and Mel backed away from her bed and gave her the space she'd need, Mia's attention focused on the doorway.

And nothing, _nothing_ could've brought greater relief.

"Buck," she gasped imperceptibly.

There wasn't a word that could contain what he felt; not relief, not shock, nor pain. It was simply…all-consuming. Happiness seemed like too simple a sentiment. And yet, there wasn't much else that coursed through his veins.

Caution well and truly forgotten, he closed the distance between them and took her outreached arms as invitation enough to hold her tighter than he ever had before, in some vain attempt to keep her hidden from the world and all that lay in it. She tightened her arms around him as much as her weakened frame would allow, and regardless of the nervous appeals against such contact from the doctors nearby, they stayed joined for the following moments.

When Mia did pull away, she felt almost completely exhausted. She lay back in her bed and kept her eyes on Bucky, unable to voice all that she felt. But he understood, and she knew that. He held her hand a moment longer, before moving aside to make way for another.

" _Anzur lihalik_ ," Zeyn said tearily. " _Madha faealt, tifl_?"

 _Look at you_. _What have you done, kid?_

He leant down and held her face with both hands, feeling her shaking beneath his touch, and kissed her forehead in a way that confounded her even more. She could feel the aches in her body a little more sharply, the throbbing in her head not so dull anymore. Her confusion was only diverted by the fact that everyone was around her, and while she may have been uninformed, at least she wasn't alone.

With 4 of her loved ones circling her bed, Mia's looked at Zeyn and asked in a barely there voice, "Where are we?"

He replied cautiously, "We're at the Avengers Tower in New York."

Mia's eyes fell to Bucky's as she croaked wearily, "What…happened?"

No sooner had the words left her lips, and Mia's breathing gave way to a coughing fit. She heaved in and out raggedly while the doctors surrounded her, pushing her family back and assuming their places.

"I think she's had enough for now," decided Cho. "Please, it would be best if you waited outside."

"But—" started _khaala._

"Please, Mrs Alfiyan," she insisted.

The entire group took a nervous look at Mia before promising they'd be back soon, and leaving her in the hands of Cho's team. Helen followed them into the adjacent room, and took her time to explain the approach she'd devised.

"I understand that this must be very difficult for all of you, I really do. But if we want Mia to regain her strength as quickly as possible, she will need to undergo extensive rehabilitation, and that starts now," she explained. "As of yet, her short term memory is still untapped, but it's only a matter of time before she recalls the events that brought her here. And when she does, the effects will be very taxing on her internal systems. That's why we're going to try and keep her asleep for the next two days, so her body can really take to the Cradle's mechanisms."

The entire group stayed quiet for a while, a little restless at the thought of losing her for the next two days when they'd only just gotten her back. "Will her being unconscious speed up the process?" asked Zeyn.

"Yes, almost threefold. She won't be expending any energy, she'll have a resting heart rate, and she can have treatment around-the-clock. It's not ideal, but it will benefit her immensely," she assured.

"Do it," said Bucky definitively. "Whatever helps her."

Cho nodded. "She'll be awake for 5-10 minute increments every 12 hours. She'll be extremely drowsy, and probably a little high, but you can all speak to her then."

And with that, she left the group to process what'd just happened. The hope that they'd so desperately clung to had given way to something promising, and their gratitude was immeasurable. Suddenly, their little broken world seemed fixable again. And it would take time and patience and unimaginable faith, but they all got the sense that things would get better.

* * *

 **12 hours later**

"Your potato sack…looks like…Gandalf the Green," slurred Mia as she awoke from her induced slumber.

Zeyn snickered softly in his chair next to her bed. "It's Gandalf the Grey, kid."

With her eyes falling shut every few moments, Mia said, "Gandalf…the Gay." She looked around the room jadedly, her brain functioning on a different plain of existence. "So beauty."

Bucky stood next to Zeyn and couldn't help but smile at her intoxication, something that felt strangely foreign to his lips. He watched her mumble silly ramblings for a few moments, simply appreciating the fact that she was there, safe and protected.

"You feeling any better?" asked Zeyn, though he wasn't really expecting a coherent answer.

She looked down at her stomach. "Chicken sandpitch."

"Come again?"

She prodded her stomach softly before her face grew a little serious. She turned to Bucky and whispered, "There's a hole in my acorn."

He stopped her hand from poking her wounds and said, "Probably shouldn't do that."

She resisted momentarily, but then apparently grew distracted by how close he was standing to her. In her stoned state, Mia clapped a hand to his face and smiled lazily. "You a guy." She said secretively, "My guy."

His heart stuttered as he cupped her hand with his, her face still beautiful despite the bruises and scratches laced across it. He nodded, "You bet, doll."

"Beef," she said in between spells of microsleep. "Gimme…da…beef—"

"Stop her, stop it, _nope_ ," said Zeyn with his hands covering his ears. "I don't give a fuck how high she is, I don't wanna hear that shit."

Bucky brought her hand down and sat in a chair next to the bed, trying to divert her attention from _whatever_ her uncensored mind was about to share. "Y'know, Mariyah got married today."

Mia broke into a comically large smile. "Married? Today?"

He nodded. "She missed you at the wedding, but we told her you're gonna see her soon. Isn't that right?" he asked with conviction.

She nodded. "Soon. So, so, so, so, so, _so_ soon." She paused, "Now."

He shook his head once. "We can't go now, sweetheart."

She looked at him with a betrayed expression. "Why no?" she slurred.

He swallowed. "You need to get better first."

She scoffed a little too loudly. "My knee is _perfect_ ," she said, pointing at her nose.

He wanted to laugh, but a nagging sense of sadness tugged at his heart, because much as he hated it, she still wasn't okay. "As soon as you're better, we'll go. Okay?"

She looked Bucky dead in the eyes as hers threatened to fall shut. "Promise?"

The only response he could conjure was a nod, but that wasn't good enough for her, even when she wasn't herself.

"Promise?" she repeated tiredly.

And as her eyes grew heavy one more time, the last word she heard was a quiet but faithful, "Promise."

* * *

 **16 hours later**

True to Cho's prediction, Mia had awoken again within 12 hours of her last drug-induced tirade. In that time, she'd been a little more sober upon meeting _khaala_ and Mel, but she still failed to produce a coherent thought to fight the drugs coursing through her system. The women spoke about flowers and cherries, mundane topics that kept Mia's heart rate steady and didn't aggravate her receptors.

And for Mel and _khaala,_ that was enough to get them by.

With the assurance that she wouldn't wake earlier than 12 hour increments, her family had retired to get some much needed sleep after the last day's events. Even Bucky, thanks to his newly prescribed meds, was able to get some shut-eye for a couple of hours. It helped him more than he knew, and having a reprieve would only make it easier for him to be there for Mia.

As for Tony, he'd steered clear of Mia since the minute he'd heard she'd awaken. He wanted her family to get the time they deserved with her, and given that she'd fall back asleep within 10 minutes, they needed all the conversation they could get. Instead, he'd hung back and tried to further things along with the search for her perpetrators, but despite the infinite resources at his disposal, it was proving harder than normal to do so.

It was around 3:00 am when he took a break from his task, and wandered to make a pot of coffee. While he waited for the water to boil, his eyes stole a glance at the enclosed room in front of him, dull sounds of machines emitting from within. He ignored it at first, but when the beeping grew a little quicker, his curiosity gave way to action.

He inched his way to Mia's room, well aware that Cho's staff had left JARVIS in charge of security while they caught up on some well-earned rest. Tony pushed the door open and flicked the dim light on, only to be met with the sight of a sleeping Mia. He thought he should turn back, in case he accidentally tripped and somehow disassembled the bed or knocked over her respirator. But when JARVIS spoke, his decision was made for him.

"Dr Cho has granted you full access, sir. You are free to enter," he said.

Tony waved a hand. "S'nothing, I was just…loitering." He pointed at the beeping machine. "What's it saying?"

"Ms. Alfiyan's heart rate increases periodically, then returns to its resting pace. At the moment, it seems to be rather high."

"Shouldn't you be tellin' the Doc that?" he asked.

"Dr Cho surmises that she is dreaming, and that any fluctuation in Ms. Alfiyan's internal systems are related to memory-recall. In her opinion, this is a perfectly normal side effect."

Tony nodded to himself before walking closer to the bed. It was the first time he was seeing her without a glass partition separating them. And when he finally came to stand by her side, he couldn't help but notice a few subtleties.

She was much younger than he'd thought. The bruising on her face didn't help, but she'd healed rather well in the last few days. That, matched with her responsiveness to the treatment, left her in far superior health than what he'd initially seen her in. And in an unspoken part of the arc reactor he called a heart, he was grateful.

There was charm in her tainted features, as well. He could see the resemblance between her and her brother quite clearly, both with pronounced jaws and beauty spots on their left cheek. It was clear that she hailed from the East, the glow of her skin told him as much. But even having read her file, there wasn't a lot at all that he knew about her beyond what lay in front of him.

"Hmm," mumbled Mia, sending Tony back about three paces. He kept his arms strictly at his side as she began to stir, a few murmurs leaving her lips as she began to grow restless.

"J, you might wanna let someone know she's not in 'Sleeping Beauty' mode anymore," said Tony.

"Right away, sir."

"Me…S'me…" said Mia, her eyelids twitching as the dream disturbed her peace. She twisted a little in her sleep, but calmed down within the following moment. She probably would've continued her dream uninterrupted, had it not been for Tony's botched plan of escape.

Having accidentally kicked a trolley and sent it crashing to the wall, Tony winced as Mia's eyes flicked open. She blinked once and scanned the room half-heartedly, apparently in a state of utter bemusement. But the minute her eyes landed on Tony, things shifted.

"You were supposed to be knocked out cold," he began. "Don't get me wrong, it's great that you're awake, but I just feel like its false advertising if the pills can't keep you under for a couple'a hours."

Mia sat up in her bed tiredly, her eyes still getting used to the level of light in the room. She paused, "Pony Shark?"

"I'm gonna pretend like you said that right." He nodded cordially. "Tony."

In her intoxication, Mia looked over him with a critical eye before finally asking, "Where are your legs?"

He looked down. "Where they've always been. Attached to a well-rounded ass."

She shook her head, deciding that his answer wasn't good enough. "You can…buy mine."

He considered it for a moment. "What'll it cost me?" entertaining her delirium.

"3 turtles."

"Alright," he clapped his hands. "You're a few minutes off of being _fully cooked_ , so I'm just gonna let Cho come and take care of—"

"Where's my _baba_?" she asked seriously.

Tony froze. "Uh…I don't—"

"The bus, we…we can't…miss it," she said, before turning to him with a pleading look. "Where is he?"

It wasn't often that Tony felt so disarmed, but there just wasn't a way for him to know how to respond. In the end, he stuck with what he thought was safest. "He's on his way, kid. Just sit tight."

She nodded slowly, before posing another question. "What are you doing here?"

Without paying mind to what he was saying, Tony replied, "I'm waiting on someone too."

Mia settled back into the bed as she asked, "Your dad?"

He shook his head. "His better half."

"Is she coming?"

Tony felt his throat grow dry, his hands tightening to fists in his pockets. He let out a small breath and said, "She'll be here any minute."

"She's late," declared Mia. "Tell her she's late."

He nodded, a hint of amusement at the unfiltered words of a young girl. "I'll let her know, ma'am."

He'd barely finished the sentence, and Mia had fallen into another spell of sleep. Her breathing evened out, and when Tony realised she wouldn't be waking up again, he couldn't explain the slight disappointment he felt at the shortness of their broken exchange.

Within another minute, Cho had arrived in her pyjamas and a doctor's coat. She ran through Mia's vitals without asking Tony whether they'd spoken to each other, and he didn't think it necessary to share. Instead, he left the room with the conversation they'd had as his own little secret, one that Mia would likely forget.

But for some reason, it'd stay with him.

* * *

"I don't know why the fuck he decided this was the best time to come," said Zeyn in growing outrage. "He'll only make things worse."

" _Khalas_ , _habibti_ ," _khaala_ chided softly. "He is still your uncle. Do not forget that."

Zeyn paced the lounge outside of Mia's room anxiously. "It doesn't matter. We didn't need him then, and we don't need him now. Not when she's like this." He asked his aunt seriously, "Did you tell him what happened to her?"

She shook her head. "Not in so many words. He knows that she's unwell, but nothing specific." She lowered her head in clear embarrassment. "However, I'm afraid she is not the reason for his trip."

Zeyn turned to her. "Then why the hell's he coming? Another one of his 'business trips'?"

"Zeyn—"

"Is he coming to take you back home? Is that it?" he shook his head. "'Cos I won't let him. Not now. Not after everything he's done to you."

She waved a hand dismissively. "You know nothing of what he's done to me, my boy."

"You're wrong." He spoke in a low voice, "I've always known. He was never good at hiding his infidelity when we were kids, but when Mia left, he gave up trying altogether." He shook his head, "There's something dangerous about a man with no shame, _khaala_. And him being here's only gonna make things worse." He took in a deep breath and asked collectedly, "Why is he coming?"

 _Khaala's_ eyes had grown tired from the horrors of the last 4 days, but unbeknownst to her family, there'd been another storm brewing in her life. She lit up the same cigarette she'd avoided smoking for the last 2 days and spoke shakily to her nephew. "The night of the _sahra,_ I received a call from your uncle. He asked me when I'd be returning home, and when I told him I had no plan of doing so anytime soon, he grew angrier by the minute."

She took a long drag before shaking the ash and scratching her hand nervously. "He began going on about his age-old feud with Mariyah's father, how their family was toxic, on and on. And after a while of listening, of trying to calm him down," she paused, "I heard a woman's voice from the other end. And before he could bother explaining himself," she shrugged, "I cut the phone."

"Then why are you letting him come here?" he asked desperately. "Hasn't he done enough?"

"I am still his wife, Zeyn."

"He doesn't remember that when he's fucking half of Austria," he said heatedly.

"Enough," said _khaala_ with finality. She covered her eyes with her hand and nursed her vice in the other. Realising that he may have overstepped a little, Zeyn joined her on the sprawling sofa and took the cigarette from her hand, tossing it in the ashtray and holding her wrist reassuringly. They were quiet for a while, each with things they'd like to say but couldn't. But eventually, Zeyn knew where he'd serve his duty best as a nephew.

"I'll go with you to get him from the airport," he said. "But he can't stay here. He can't see Mia, not like this. She needs to recover, and frankly, I don't think he's gonna do her any good by seeing her."

 _Khaala_ lowered her hand into Zeyn's and turned to ask him cautiously, "Was there a time where you thought of me in the same way?" She paused, "When you thought me so poisonous?"

He swallowed. "We didn't know you then like we do now." He shook his head, "Nothing's the same."

"But he is your blood," she reminded.

"Far as I'm concerned, we were dead to him the day he lost his brother," he said unflinchingly. "I don't think that's gonna change."

She sighed shakily, " _Madha sanafeal_?"

 _What are we going to do?_

He spoke with conviction, "Make things right."

And with that, Zeyn and _khaala_ left the Avengers Tower to collect _khaalu_ from the airport. Bucky was left alone in Mia's room, the clock having just past 7:00pm on a warm night. He'd been waiting there the whole day, because according to Cho, they'd taken her off of the delirium-inducing medication for now. He was informed that she may wake up any time in the next 36 hours, and that when she did, it'd be with a clear mind.

So, he'd waited without a single complaint. People had come and gone from the room, TV channels had changed multiple times and even Sam, Steve and Nat had watched her sleep for a while, but she hadn't come to consciousness. Everyone was simply grateful for her improvements, and asking for anything beyond that just seemed plain greedy.

It was a strange moment when Bucky was staring mindlessly at the moving images of tarot cards on screen, when he heard Mia begin to stir. He immediately sat to attention, and tried not to get too excited at the thought of her waking up. Just like Cho said, she was probably having a dream or a faint reverie, but when her face grew contorted in pain, it didn't seem to be either one of those.

"Mia," he said quietly, holding her hand as she started shaking beneath his grasp.

"N…No," she stuttered, her forehead sweating and her heart rate growing higher than it'd been since she'd arrived. Bucky clicked the button to alert Cho repeatedly, only to be interrupted by a brief scream leaving her lips.

"Mia, Mia, wake up," he said as he shook her softly.

"No, no," she kept repeating, her entire face flushed red and her body now shivering. It took a few more moments of Bucky's firm encouragement, but eventually, Mia woke with a heaving breath and a disoriented expression.

"Hey, hey, you're okay, it's okay," comforted Bucky. "S'just a dream, sweetheart. You're okay."

"Bucky," she whimpered, tears steadily streaming down her cheek. "Saw—I saw them," she fumbled. "The men, I…they were there, and—Oh, God," she heaved erratically.

"It's okay, listen to me, they're not here, Mia," he said with pained conviction. "You're alright."

"They hurt her, Buck, they tried to…they were gonna…kill me, I had to go," she stuttered, now sobbing in a way he'd never seen before. "I had to go."

Bucky's entire being was alight with pain. Hearing broken cries splutter from her lips, seeing her face embroiled with fear, knowing none of it was consolable. And yet, he let her burrow herself into his chest under the guise of protection, his arms caging her comfortingly so that she never felt alone again. He rocked her as she wept, her entire body trembling with the weight of a revisited memory. He stayed with her even after the doctors asked him to leave, knowing that she needed an anchor, just as she'd always been for him.

And when minutes passed and her cries began to die down, he couldn't decide whether he was disappointed or relieved that she remembered everything.

X


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes: HAI HAIIIIIIIIII my dudes. Hope your exams/assessments/families/significant others/pets are treating you well :'))) Sooooo another shorter chapter, but at least it's kinda on time :')) Y'all are the best, and also, RAMADAN MUBARAK to any and all who are celebrating! Have a blessed month, and that goes for every single one of you beauties :'))))) Much love,**

 **\- M**

Chapter 36

"I'm gonna throw up."

"You're not gonna throw up," said the detective to his partner as they entered the elevator.

"What if I throw up when I see him? Oh my God," whispered the detective, "I might defecate."

"No, stop—"

"It's not impossible. And it's not like it hasn't happened before, Jake."

"You're making this infinitely weirder than it has to be—"

"And what am I supposed to call him? 'Mr Stark' just sounds like I'm talking to my uncle. But I still wanna convey an air of respect." He turned to his partner, "How about Papa Stark?"

"He's not Danish, Charles," he deadpanned.

"Mr Iron Man? Mr Man? _Mrs_ Man?" He shook his head and mumbled, "This'd be so much easier if he was Vietnamese."

"I'm gonna stop you right there," said Jake as their elevator ascended the floors of Manhattan's mightiest tower. "Alright, look. It took me forever to convince Sarge to let us have this case, and we can't get kicked off just 'coz you couldn't keep it in your pants."

"I can't help the defecation, Jake. I'm not programmed with your level of control," he whined.

" _All I'm saying_ is that we've gotta be cool, just treat it like any other case. Got it?"

Charles let out a long breath. "You're right. I'm sorry, I just got a little carried away."

Jake clapped a hand on Charles' shoulder. "It's alright. Look, for all we know, he might not even be here. I bet he's somewhere taking out a Russian warlord and then _taking out_ his hot-Russian-supermodel-daughter."

Charles paused, "…His _own_ daughter or the warlord's daughter?"

Jake winced, " _Obviously_ the warlord's daughter, why would you even ask that?"

The elevator _dinged_ and announced their arrival to Dr Banner's Laboratory. Both detectives straightened their shirts and tightened their ties a little before the doors fell open, only to reveal the very man that'd preoccupied their thoughts for the last 3 hours.

"Ah, Detectives," said Tony with a welcoming smile.

Charles failed to speak, while Jake's face grew unbelievably red, and before he could stop himself, two damning words fell traitorously from his lips.

"Papa Stark."

* _Brooklyn 99 Intro Music plays_ *

"They called about an hour ago and asked if they could come in to get your statement," explained Zeyn to Mia. "They said it shouldn't take longer than 20 minutes."

Mia's family – inclusively, Zeyn, _khaala_ , Bucky, Mel, Steve, Sam and Nat – had all converged to her makeshift hospital room upon hearing of a report filed with the NYPD. That morning, Zeyn had received a call from a detective, informing him that they were required to take down Mia's official statement regarding the incident.

No one really knew how they'd even found out about what'd happened in the alley, but they decided it'd be best if they cooperated with the process. After promptly being granted permission by Tony, Zeyn invited the detectives to the Tower, so that Mia's recovery wouldn't be disrupted more than necessary.

But wish as they may, this'd still be hard for her. And considering that her memory of that night had only resurfaced 10 hours prior, she wasn't sure whether she was entirely up for it.

"Hey," said Bucky softly as everyone in the room sprouted off to their own conversations. "You good?"

Mia nodded half-heartedly. "I'm fine. I'm just…a little nervous." She paused, "What if I can't remember everything?"

"That doesn't matter. Just do the best you can, they won't ask for more than that," he said reassuringly. Mia nodded, but he could see the unsurety speckled behind her eyes. He held her marred hand in his gloved one. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Mia shook her head. "It'll only get worse the longer I wait." She looked at him and asked carefully, "Hey, uhm, I know that hanging around with a couple of cops isn't the best way to fly under the radar, but…d'you think you could stay? I mean, for as long as they're around?"

His decision was made before she had the chance to give him an out. "I'm not going anywhere."

Mia's gratitude was felt without the medium of words, and Bucky couldn't help but be relieved at the thought of staying by her side. This was new territory for both of them, and her wounds were still fresh. But at least together, they could share the burden.

"I think they're headed up. Cap, you might wanna hide in a broom closet or somethin'," quipped Sam.

Steve nodded and parted from Mia with a reassuring touch of the hand. He and Nat left with _khaala_ , Mel, Zeynand Sam, and before long, Tony reappeared with a pair of _clearly_ star-struck faces.

"Somebody order a couple'a Jersey Boys?" asked Tony.

"It's actually Brooklyn—Doesn't matter," said the detective. "God, this room's amazing. It smells like oranges and technological advances."

"With a hint of haemoglobin," added Charles.

"I had a blood transfusion an hour ago," Mia suggested helpfully. "Might be that."

"Nah. I'm thinking it's the petunias," said Charles.

Tony sent a troubled look to Mia, who he hadn't _officially_ met yet, but concluded his brief appearance with a not-so-subtle dash to the door. She smiled a little at his antics, and watched as the two detectives wrapped up their admiration of the room to redirect their attention elsewhere.

" _Anywho_ , which one of you handsome devils are…" Jake checked his notepad, "… _Martyr…Alpine_?"

Bucky blinked slowly, clearly in shock.

…But Mia was used to it.

"If you mean 'Miriya Alfiyan', then that's me, Detective," she said with a slightly raised hand.

"Ah. Well, my apologies for butchering your unfairly exotic name to Hell," he said. "I'm Detective Jake Peralta, and this is my partner, Charles Boyle. We're from the Brooklyn 99 with the NYPD, and I just wanna start off by saying that I know this isn't the most convenient way to be doing this, but we appreciate your cooperation."

Mia shook her head. "Please, it's no trouble. I just…I'm not sure how you found out. I mean, did you get an anonymous tip, or…?"

Charles replied, "A woman came to the precinct to file a missing person's report."

"About me?" Mia asked surprisedly.

"We'll get to that in a second. How about we start off with you telling us what you can remember?" asked Jake.

Those words sat in the air for a while, before Mia took a deep breath in, glanced at the man at her side, and began to revisit her memory of that night.

"I was waiting near a Laundromat when I heard someone screaming…" she started.

It felt surreal, those few moments of clear recall. She'd thought it'd be harder to tap into, but once she allowed the memory its space to unravel, her words flooded like ink to paper. She remembered the faint smell of paint in the alley, and the residual stench of a nearby pub. There'd been birds squawking deafeningly as the sun set, with dogs barking in the distance.

And once the nauseating sound of the woman's screams revisited her thoughts, Mia was sure she'd never forget such horrors again.

"…don't remember much after the second shot. I just…" she paused, her eyes falling to Bucky's. She knew that there wasn't much else she wanted to say in front of the detectives, but there was a conversation waiting to be had between her and the fella' in her life. "That's all I can remember."

Charles scribbled down a few last notes before Jake nodded and asked one final question. "These two guys, do you remember anything specific about them? Height, build, tattoos?"

Mia thought a moment. "Uh, well, they were both white. I think they had some standard tattoos on their arms, nothing too memorable. One of them was probably 6'2 or 6'3. He looked about…40-something? And, uh, he was an easy 250 pounds. The other one was tall and skinny, a lot weaker too."

"At any point, did they mention each other's names?" asked Jake.

Mia shook her head, "I don't think—Wait," she thought a moment, "It was something with 'T'. Trent, or Todd, maybe? I'm sorry, I can't be sure."

"It's okay, that's enough to go off of," Charles reassured.

"I think that's good for now," said Jake. "Any questions for us? Besides what conditioner I use, 'cos I'll never confess." He leaned in conspiratorially, "It's Lavender Blowdream by Gerard Butler."

Mia blinked. " _Lavender Blowdream_?"

He nodded enthusiastically, "I stole it from my girlfriend's apartment, which is technically our apartment, but I'm not ready to attach my name to the drapes she has up yet."

"You know what they say about women with ugly drapes," said Charles.

"What do they say about women with ugly drapes?" asked Mia.

"Dirty windows, _obvi_ ," said Charles, as though nothing on God's green Earth could've been clearer.

"…I don't know what that means," she confessed.

"Wait 'til you're 27, then _everything's_ gonna make sense," winked Charles. "Or 29, depending on your cycle."

"Which cycle?" she asked worriedly.

"Which cycle," he repeated with a laugh. "Ah, what a gift it is to be young and naïve."

" _Okay_ , you're scaring the _bejeezus_ outta her, Charles," Jake murmured. "If there's anything else you can think of, feel free to give us a call," he said, handing her a card with his name on it.

Mia nodded in thanks, but before the pair could leave, there was one thing she had to know. "Detective," she said. "How did you know I'd be here?"

"You weren't checked into any of the hospitals in Brooklyn. And when we went through the surveillance footage, we caught a glimpse of an Iron Man suit hovering above the building next to you." He smiled boyishly, "Figured we should trust our hunch."

The pair were about to leave again, but Mia's voice brought them back. "How is she? The woman?"

"She came in two days after the incident, but she seemed okay," said Jake. "A bit of bruising, but nothing that can't be fixed." He paused as if to consider his words carefully, before saying, "Actually, there was one other thing."

"Jake…" warned Charles softly.

"No, she deserves to make the choice for herself," he said to his partner. He swallowed, "She wants to meet you. I mean, she's hell-bent. She's called twice every day to see where we're at with the case, if we have any leads. And our Commanding Officer wasn't too keen on us telling you, but…frankly, I think he's wrong."

Mia shook her head disbelievingly, unable to understand why a woman who'd gone through so much would want to revisit any part of that fateful night again. "Why does she want to meet me?"

"Her name's Maha Hosseini, she's an Afghan refugee. She's a single mom with a 4-year-old kid…" he paused, "And she's been in the US for 31 days."

The entire room fell eerily quiet as the weight of those words settled in. _31 days_. The woman had barely been in America for a month, and this'd happened. She'd had a child waiting at home, who very well could've been robbed of a mother that night. None of it was fair, nor was it just. And Mia's head throbbed incessantly at the thought of what might've transpired had the men gotten what they wanted from her…

"We're not at liberty to disclose your information to anyone without your consent," said Charles. "But if you're willing…"

Mia nodded almost immediately, because strange as it was, she felt as though they harboured an attachment because of what'd happened that night. She found herself wanting to meet this Maha, to see how she looked and spoke in moments of peace rather than threat.

"I'll meet her," she said. "Please, let her know."

Jake nodded. "We'll set up a time with her and give you a call in a few days. Sound good?"

Mia looked to Bucky, who smiled softly in encouragement. "Yeah."

And with a few final goodbyes, the endearing detectives left the couple alone in Mia's room. "You feel okay?" asked Bucky as he sat in the chair beside her.

Mia nodded. "I'm fine. Just a little tired," she smiled. "They seem nice."

He nodded. "A little strange."

She quipped, "You're just saying that 'cos the short one's _kinda_ in love with you."

"That's just the codeine talking," he deadpanned.

She smiled tiredly, "Haven't missed a beat so far."

The pair grew quiet, each dwelling in thoughts of their own. Everyone would rejoin them soon, and they barely had enough time to say what they wanted to say. But nevertheless, Mia would try.

"Buck," she began seriously, "Are you okay?"

His head snapped to hers. "Of course I am. Why…why would you ask that?"

She pulled on a string from the fabric of her blanket. "I just…these last few days, everything that's happened…it couldn't have been easy on you."

He blinked. "Easy… _on me?_ "

"It's always harder to be the bystander, to watch someone you care about suffer. You feel helpless," she paused, "Always."

"Mia…"

"And I know you blame yourself," she said unsteadily. "I see it when you look at me. And I hate it—I hate that you feel that way. Because it's not—"

"Mia, stop—"

"—not your fault. I made my choice, I did what I was taught to do. And I'd do it again."

"You were waiting for me," he said quietly, silencing her words. "I should've been there sooner, I could've stopped it."

Mia's eyes welled with disbelief. "How could you have possibly known what would happen? Please, Buck," she put a hand over his, "Don't let this be another weight on your conscience."

He found it hard to meet her eyes with his, same as it'd been since she'd woken up. But she wouldn't let him get away that easy, not after everything that they'd survived to reach that point.

"Look at me," she urged gently. Reluctantly, he did as she asked, and was all the weaker for it. "I know we weren't prepared for this, there's no way we could've been. But I want you to know that I don't regret any of it. 'Cos for the first time in my life...just for a moment, I felt like my father's daughter." She steadied her voice as tears dampened her blanket. "I wasn't your girlfriend, I wasn't Zeyn's sister…" she shrugged, "Just another kid, tryna make her dad proud."

Bucky's throat grew dry as he heard her reasons, but she wasn't yet finished.

"And beyond that, what matters is that I came out unscathed. A couple of bumps and bruises, but I'm here, Buck. And I couldn't be more grateful."

Much as he tried to ignore it, Bucky knew that he'd have to tell her about the permanency of one of her wounds. And sitting there, in a moment of true appreciation for her survival, he knew that it'd be best if she knew sooner rather than later.

He brought down her hand from his cheek and held it as he tried to form a sentence. She watched him keenly as he began, "Mia, I…there's something I have to tell you."

She nodded in quiet encouragement, and his nerves were only sated by the fact that she would get to know the full truth of her situation.

"The doctor ran a couple of scans when you were under. And, uh, one of them was for your organ functionality." He could feel himself trying to stall, desperately searching for a way to evade the news altogether, but the quiet look of anticipation on her face forced the truth from his lips. "She says…she says you won't be able to carry a child."

He didn't quite know what to expect in terms of her reaction, other than shock and uninhibited sadness, which is why her response threw him _all the way_ off.

She sent him a deflated smile. "I know."

He looked at her plainly. "You know?"

She nodded, her sights set on their joined hands. " _Khaala_ told me. And Helen explained what happened." She fell quiet for a moment before saying, "I won't say that it's easy to accept, because you'd see right through that. But when I think about it, when I _really_ think about it…" she looked to him, "I haven't lost anything. Everyone I love is still with me, and that's more than most people can say."

He felt taken aback by her hopeful view on an otherwise heartbreaking reality. "I didn't think you'd take it so well. I mean, all of this."

Mia's eyes fell to the window that showcased New York City to her left. "People go through worse every day, Buck. And somehow, they find a way to pull through." A reminiscent smile spread on her lips. "My ma used to say that no one ever benefitted from being ungrateful. And if I start complaining now, after sitting in a fortress with food and water and family…there's no end."

Bucky smiled, and she replied in kind. "When'd you wisen up so much, kid?"

Mia laughed that same musical laugh he'd longed to hear again. "After my 7th round of painkillers." She said quietly, "I'm 70% sure there's cocaine in my IV drip."

"It was probably Wilson," he nodded.

"Well, I'll have to thank him for that," she smiled. "Hey, uhm, have you talked to Mr. Stark yet—"

"If y'all are dirty talkin', you better cut that shit out 'cos you've got some sexy visitors coming through with a delivery," announced the unmistakable voice of Sam Wilson as he entered with Nat and Steve.

Mia sat up further in her bed and smiled at their entrance, only to freeze at the hint of a smell she could recognise in any part of the world. "…You didn't."

"Oh, but we did," said Sam. "Close your eyes."

Mia turned to Bucky with unabashed giddiness. "Did you do this? Tell me you didn't do this."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Ehm, excuse me," waved Sam. "If y'all are done _canoodling,_ close your damn eyes, girl."

Mia slapped a hand over her eyes for good measure, and listened closely as Steve neared her bed. He took out something from a plastic bag and held it in front of her, while Nat put a drink on her bedside table.

"All this plus the cocaine's gonna make my heart combust," whispered Mia.

"And, open," said Sam.

She knew the fragrance of Paradise when she smelt it, and the Heaven-sent _shawarma_ held safely in Steve's hands was almost too much for her brain to process. "No," she whispered.

"Yes," they all said in unison.

Honest to God tears threatened to well in her eyes as she looked at each one of her friends, all a little too pleased with her reaction. "I don't have words."

"Well, you're gonna have a few when we tell you this next part," mumbled Sam. "We talked to the Doc, and turns out, she says you can't actually eat it."

And just like that, Mia's entire world shattered to pieces.

"Wot?" she asked.

"Yeah, she said you can't have solids for another 2 days for good measure," he informed. "Something to do with your stomach lining reforming or somethin', I'm not too sure about the logistics."

Mia's voice grew terribly small as she asked, "So, I can't have any?"

Nat shook her head. "We didn't say that." She lowered her voice and told a hopeful Mia, "She's watching you through a live feed on the camera behind us. But if we huddle around you for long enough and block the view, you should be able to get a few bites in."

"Better eat up before it gets cold," said Steve.

Mia didn't know what to say, but her previously controlled emotions threatened to scatter at the thoughtfulness of her friends. "I can't believe you guys would do this for me. I mean, you went all the way into town to get the shawarma, then you came back here and now you're gonna stand around so I can have a few illegal bites, I'm…" she shook her head and sniffled tiredly, "You guys are the best, man."

"I see the crack's finally kicking in," noted Sam.

"I'm ready," she said determinedly, and with that, she got her chance at some proper food for the first time in 4 long, anxiety-ridden, unforgettable days.

* * *

 **2 days later**

"Please don't apologise, _khaala_ ," said Mia in Arabic. "You have no fault in all of this."

Mia and her aunt were sitting on their level's balcony at the Avengers Tower, enjoying the crisp air of an early autumn evening. It'd been two days since the detectives had come to meet with Mia, and since then, she'd been granted permission to start walking again. It was undeniably liberating to be capable of doing things on her own, without hassling those around her for assistance. And the way things were going, it seemed as though her health might improve quicker than anticipated.

Dr Cho had been more than impressed with her progress, and attributed her enhanced healing to the properties of the Cradle. All her superficial wounds remained, but the damage inflicted by the bullets had healed incredibly well. She was walking with a slight limp, but her breathing was as even as it'd been before the attack. All in all, she felt good.

And more than that, she felt hopeful.

"But I have barely spent time with you in these last few days, Miriya." _Khaala_ shook her head apologetically, "Your uncle and I have survived each other for decades, this squabble can wait a little longer."

Mia said in clear outrage, " _Khaala_ , the fact that he came all the way here to speak with you is indication enough that things have gone too far. I'm not saying that what he did is forgivable, but it's not just gonna go away if you keep ignoring it." She let out a deep breath and placed a hand over her aunt's. "What are you afraid of? You've done nothing wrong."

 _Khaala_ shook her head, pain hidden beneath her tired eyes. "There comes an age after which divorce is out of the question, Miriya. At this point, we have grown used to one another, to being in each other's lives. And yes, his actions pain me, they always have…but after everything that's happened, with my health and you children, I don't want things to change more than they already have."

" _Khaala_ , you can't just live miserably because you're afraid of things being different." She said earnestly, "If he makes you unhappy, then there's no reason for you stay. I'm not saying for you to file for divorce, but what's the point of going back to live in a mansion by yourself again when he won't even be there half the time?"

 _Khaala_ laughed humourlessly. "And where else will I go, _habibti_?"

The words fell from Mia's lips without hesitation. "Stay here."

 _Khaala_ turned to her niece as though she'd misheard her, but Mia's determination was unwavering.

"There's nothing left for you in Sydney, _khaala_. Zeyn's here now, I'm here, Arsala and her family's here. And the way _khaalu_ 's business is going, you're only gonna see less of him anyway." She held her aunt's hands tightly in her own, begging as a child does to a parent. "Please. This'll be good for you."

 _Khaala_ 's surprise at so permanent a proposition was unhidden, given the history the two had shared. But the truth was that they'd grown immeasurably closer in the last few months, and quite frankly, neither one of them was ready to resume life without the other.

Before _khaala_ could think further, she entertained a few questions. "Where would I stay, Miriya?"

"Here, in New York. You love the apartment we're staying at, we could look into renting it out or having it leased for you," she said easily.

 _Khaala_ smiled at her niece's endearing eagerness. "You forget that your home is not in this city, Miriya. You are still living in DC."

And crazy as it may have sounded, Mia _had_ momentarily forgotten that she wasn't settled in New York. Maybe it's because everything around her seemed familiar. Zeyn had his new gym, and Mel had been in town for a while. Sam, Steve and Nat had been hanging around near-constantly since she'd been out of the coma. And truth be told, anywhere Bucky was…

… _Well_ , it felt like home.

"I know I don't live in New York," she conceded, "But, I mean, I can always make trips down from DC. It's not like they're far away from one another. And I'll always be in town to see Zeyn anyway. But if you're here, at least you'll have Arsala and all the people in their community you've gotten close with over the last few weeks."

 _Khaala_ said softly, "Having you and your brother would be enough, Miriya." In a rare moment of complete transparency, she continued in the language of her ancestors, " _Kunt dayimaan ma yakfi_."

 _You've always been enough._

Dumbfounded by such a sentiment, Mia felt unable to convey some sort of reply. But her aunt had plenty yet to say.

"You will never know how fearful I was of losing you that night," said _khaala_ , her eyes averted from her niece. "I thought…perhaps this was my punishment for all those years of neglect, that I should lose you, and live with such a consequence."

Mia's resolve broke completely as she sat in front of the woman in her mother's place. " _Khaala_ …"

"But God is Merciful, and He gave me the chance to say the things I wish I'd said the day you stepped off that plane as a child."

Her nimble fingers traced the scar upon Mia's cheek, a constant reminder of all she'd survived. Mia's eyes grew blurry, her breath shortening. But _khaala_ 's was steady, as she said what she'd longed to say.

"There isn't a soul alive who is more precious to me than Zeyn and yourself. And I hope you've forgiven me for my coldness…," she said shakily "…that you've looked past my misgivings as a guardian. And I pray that your parents do not judge me harshly for all that I have done. But know this…" she said with renewed faith, "…You are everything."

Mia shook her head as tears streamed to her lips. " _Khaala_ …I…"

" _Ana bihibik,_ Miriya. Always."

With a trembling hand placed over her aunt's, Mia couldn't help but smile at how the stars had favoured her. Every hardship and every adversity considered, there wasn't a thought in her mind that told her otherwise;

She was the luckiest girl around.

"I love you, too."

* * *

"Oh, I'm sorry! I—I didn't know anyone was in here—"

"S'okay, just lubin' up the old pipe," said Tony with a small grin. At Mia's dumbstruck expression, he held up the exhaust pipe in his hand, much to her relief.

"Oh… _that_ pipe." She cleared her throat, "I, uh, I don't think we've actually met. I'm Mia," she waved a little awkwardly. "The girl that's been sleeping in your science lab."

"Yeah, I know. You're the one that's been driving JARVIS nuts with the Dean Martin song requests," he said cheekily.

Mia grew a little red. "Are you harbouring a lot of other injured 22-year-olds?"

"None that were named after the Princess of Genovia," he said as he tightened a bolt on his Mark 43 Iron Man suit.

Mia's ears piqued with intrigue. "You've seen 'The Princess Diaries'?"

"You kiddin'? Hathaway's an old friend of mine," he replied.

Mia's mouth fell open. " _Really_?"

He put down the wrench, "I mean, we've never met, but I'm a firm believer of wishing things into reality."

"You and me both, sister," she mumbled.

"You lookin' for something? Or you just like walking into strange men's basements at 2:00am?" he asked chummily.

"Oh, right, sorry. Uh, I was looking for a stick, JARVIS told me I could find one here."

Tony stopped his work to look at her. "A _stick_?" She nodded, to which he asked, "Like a broomstick?"

She let out an unsuspecting laugh. "No, kinda like a walking stick." She touched her bandaged stomach and said, "Cho doesn't want me walking around unassisted. She thinks it's bad for the recovery."

"The only thing bad for your recovery are those dead sheep you're wearing on your feet," he said pointing at her boots. " _Why_?"

She looked down and said defensively, "Hey, they're Uggs. They're an Australian staple."

"So is getting bitten by every arachnid known to man. Y'know, you really shouldn't associate yourself with that country," he said seriously.

Mia came to stand closer to him. "Why's that?"

He scoffed. "There's no way that a single nation produced Jackman _and_ Hemsworth. The only plausible explanation is that it isn't really a nation at all. Rather, it's a Soviet cover-up to unravel the secrets of the perfect human genome. The residents there are simply stimuli for the experiments."

Mia blinked, because there were a lot of ways she thought her first conversation with Tony Stark would go down, but this _sure as fuck_ wasn't one of them.

"…Someone spiked my IV with cocaine."

"Where d'you think they got it from?" he asked a little proudly.

"Are you Tony Montana?" she whispered seriously, her brain feeling a little more fried as the seconds ticked on.

He threw down his dirty rag. "Don't think I don't realise how perfect that would be. But no, I'm not." In a surprising change of tone, he extended his hand and said, "Tony Stark."

Mia looked at his hand briefly before shaking it, an obliging smile on her lips. "It's nice to meet you, Mr Stark."

"I prefer 'Papa Stark', but hey, whatever's gravy for you."

Mia quickly realised that half the things this guy said would go _right_ over her head, but she was just stoked to be standing where she was at all.

"I've got what you need, but it's less of a walking stick, more of a pimp cane," he said as he retrieved something from his office. "There's probably a pair of voluptuous female breasts engraved on it somewhere, but I can't control what Mayors get me for my birthday."

Mia blinked, "The Mayor gave you a pimp cane with titties on it for your birthday?"

"Bill de Blasio is a beautiful, beautiful man. And yes, also a pimp cane enthusiast," he said as he handed her the coveted item.

Mia thanked him as she appraised it. "Wow, this is somethin' else."

"Take good care of her. I'm childishly attached to it, which should be all the more incentive for you to speed up the recovery process. Can't live off of cocaine and _shawarma_ forever. Trust me, I've tried."

Mia nodded understandingly. "Understood." She sent a small smile his way and said, "Well, have a good night, then."

He nodded. "Likewise."

Mia's walk to the door of his basement felt strangely incomplete. She felt as though there was so much she wanted to say, such gratitude she hoped to verbalise. But something told her he wasn't the type to appreciate grand declarations of recognition, not for things like this.

Instead, she waited 'til she was halfway out the door before turning back and saying, "Mr Stark?"

He peeped his head out from the suit he was currently laying under, his undivided attention focused on her.

She swallowed. "I, uh…I can never repay you…for all of this."

Clearly uncomfortable with the idea that someone was acknowledging his kindness, he said, "It's just a pimp cane, kid."

Mia laughed softly. "Still," she paused, thinking of how he'd spared no expense to save her from an unforgiving fate. "I wouldn't be alive without it."

"I've read your file, Princess," he said good-naturedly. "You would've pulled through."

He'd rolled back under the suit before Mia could respond, and was busy at work within moments. She left the room without uttering another word, but she felt lighter…

…Almost as though anything was possible.

X


End file.
